From wishes to eternity
by Zerbinetta
Summary: Kagome, the eternal guardian of the Jewel, has no rest the afterlife, searching for the purest wish. When Youko Kurama decides to steal the gem, two paths twist into one. In an ongoing battle against a hidden enemy, their purposes might do the same...
1. Tale of the tragic apprentice

_AN:_ While I was browsing this and other websites, I came across the idea of crossovers. Now, I know that those tangles of plots and characters are often the worst thing an author can get involved in, because fleshing out characters from different stories and making their involvement with others plausible or, heaven forbid, realistic, is far more difficult than it sounds. Plot alone is incredibly difficult to find, especially if canon is a factor to consider.

But alas, going through some great stories, I came across a few good KagKur stories, and, really, that is where it all began. This would never have been written if not for the idea that I have gotten and perhaps you would never be reading it if I hadn't made certain that this story could have a beginning, a plot and an ending that satisfied me. Surprisingly, this is the first story that I have completely planned out, with every twist and turn along the way. I usually make things up as I go, really. I suppose genius ideas come only once in a while.

Nevertheless, only to clarify what couldn't be stuffed into the summary: This will be a IY-YYH crossover, thus will soon be moved to that section, featuring an original plot, an action-adventure romance with bits of angst here and there, because, really, that's how I like it. Pairings might turn out to be semi-canon in most cases, but let me emphasize that only in most cases. KagKur fans, read on, but expect a more, shall we say, historical setting involving pre-YYH-manga events in Makai, if you get my drift. Watch out for kitsune heading your way. I think you have me converted, by the way, though I still ship SessKag just the same.

All ownership of YYH or IY is hereby disclaimed. Only the plot is mine.

Any mistakes and corrections or just plain old reviews, send them my way. Keep flames to a minimum, please, and try to enjoy the story. Hopefully, it will turn out as I want it to, a novel-length story with a possible sequel in the making.

Now we can officially begin.

Thank you for reading.

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**The tale of the tragic apprentice**

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"Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live."

- Norman Cousins

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She was a priestess, or as close to being one that any of the pupils her teacher had taken had ever gotten. Ironically, this said much about her character, more than anyone might suspect.

None of the other candidates had lasted; all had left, sooner or later, willingly or not. Her teacher tolerated only perfection, if she tolerated anything at all, as students were more pests than a joyous treat to her. But they were an inevitable occurrence and the sensei had learned that it was no point in telling them that they hardly had what it took to survive with her.

It was only a matter of time before they left on their own accord, once they saw and experienced the life she led every day. That warfare and battle were her destiny. That one could never be certain when the hour of their death came, though with the powers she wielded, it was unlikely that that hour would come anytime soon.

But the hopes and illusions of a long life and a distant death had now been stripped away. The apprentice priestess felt hollow even remembering it, facing the horrible scene in a mind's eye; the moment she had found her sensei… like that.

Make no mistake, the sensei was alive. Just… not among the living. As close to death as a creature could be without actually crossing the threshold of it. Fighting evil even at the very moment of her physical demise. And she left behind the one unlikely apprentice that hadn't given up on the training.

But her sensei was...

Not dead… gone forever.

That notion would take some time getting used to. And the mantle had been passed down to her, the woman-child who had stumbled into the village where the sensei resided seemingly out of nowhere. Through her determination – or pigheaded nature, dedication – or foolishness, and persistence – or downright stupidity, she had outlasted all the other would-be pupils of her sensei, watching them gather throughout the years before finally summoning the courage to try it herself. Her admiration for her sensei was blind and she had withstood daring trials that a girl her age would have run from.

Years later, she still wasn't the priestess she should be, but was as close to finishing her training as one could be, if it was indeed training and not simply a test of her own willpower.

She had spent half her lifetime learning the arts of the Shinto priestesses and wore their colours proudly, even though the sensei had not. She used their traditional weapon, a longbow, even though the sensei had not. The sensei… she had been a warrior to the core, and thus wore always the clothing resembling the armour of a samurai. And, fittingly, there had been a sword at her side, always, the sword which was still engaged in a motionless battle, even now.

It was the woman-child who had extracted the pure sphere from the horrible scene that the villagers were faced with, seeing their honourary protector tangled with demons, seemingly dead but too alive to be truly passed away. The presence of the sphere was another mystery, but the young priestess hardly dwelled on it. It was a relic of her sensei. And she would protect it with her life, sensing the power radiating from it. It was pure, a gem that was like the soul of her sensei.

It was that notion that gave her the idea that it might be the product of the merging of souls, though she had never seen anything like that before. If only her sensei was there. She would have explained patiently what it was and how it could be made, and she wouldn't have to wait to seek out the wisdom of an aged monk that passed through the village days later to pay his respects.

"This is a sight to behold indeed," the ancient monk said upon witnessing the glory of the stone. "And one to be careful with too, miko-sama." Miko-sama. It felt wrong to take the title of her sensei. "This is a merger of souls, to be clear. The jewel that contains the soul of both Midoriko-sama and the demons she battled, the strongest ones. It is the Shikon no Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls. _Aramitama _- Courage, _Nigimitama _- Friendship, _Kushimitama _- Wisdom and _Sakimitama _- Love. When all united in one person, such as Midoriko-sama was, they form a powerful balance within the soul that can be used for immense good or great evil."

The young priestess listened carefully to each word and began to understand. Demons, youkai, they would come… come for the jewel. And if one of them would get its hands… claws… talons… whatever! on the sacred object, it would try to absorb its power and use it to plague humans more than it ever would have without it.

"Take it, then, houshi-sama." the young priestess said. She saw that the powers of the monk far outranked her own, along with his experience. "Please." The addendum was a plea.

But the monk shook his head with a wheezy chuckle. He seemed very ancient when doing that, and it was then that the priestess understood what he was about to tell her himself.

"Miko-sama, I am old. A decade ago, I would have taken the burden off your shoulders with thanks for your trust; today, I must politely refuse your generosity. I will warn you against such kindness, though. I would not deceive you, miko-sama, but, forgive me, not all holy men and women are as holy as they might claim. Demons will yearn for the jewel, true, but you put too much faith in humans. They too have evil in their hearts and will seek to gain the powers of the jewel for their own selfish needs."

"But why would they?" the priestess asked, bewildered and suddenly slightly frightened. "Why would they take a jewel that increases demonic powers?"

"Because the power will be tempting and some souls are not above selling their very selves to demons for the sake of power." the monk explained with a grave face. "Ningen are weak in their minds, miko-sama. It is their nature, I fear."

"But surely there is someone more fit to protect this jewel." the priestess tried finally. She knew her own limits, despite her fervent denial of her own weakness.

The aged monk smiled, but it contained sadness as well as pride. He knew that the poor girl, who had already sacrificed her own happiness for the good of others, would be condemned to an even lonelier life than that of an ordinary Shinto priestess. But the jewel responded to her own purity, he saw that, and adding to that that it was the soul of her teacher, with whom she had shared a special connection… needless to say, she was the best candidate in the world to protect the jewel and inwardly, perhaps she knew it as well, though it was hard to accept for her young mind.

"Miko-sama." the monk said finally, "guard the jewel with your life. There is a chance that you will once be free of your eternal task." She was listening intently to each word. "If by chance you ever discover a selfless, entirely pure wish that would not corrupt your soul or those within the jewel, a wish that would be good to the very core, you are free to make it and the jewel will grant it. In that case, it will likely allow the souls within to finish their battle and break free from their prison. Then, the jewel will likely disappear and you will be an ordinary miko-sama again. But beware the wish you make. Should it be even in the slightest way selfish, cruel or wicked, the jewel and your heart will become tainted, perhaps forever, and your grief and pain will be exploited by evil."

For the rest of his life, the short time that awaited him before rising to Nirvana, the old monk would remember the sad look on the tragic face of the young priestess as he left her with her task. The trials ahead were many and she was alone for them…

And the trials didn't have to be waited for.

They came on their own accord, soon. Demons, weak and strong, assaulted the protector of the jewel, and it was only because of the memory of her sensei, the houshii-sama and her task that she prevailed. Those thoughts gave her strength and allowed her to become famed throughout the land, though that was more ill than good when it came down it. More demons came – she destroyed them. Humans wanted to capture the power of the jewel, failing or giving up when seeing her power. And sometimes, she smiled, because some reacted to the sight of her inner goodness and suffering.

Her suffering, her loneliness, her burden. The first too didn't last long. The third would follow her through eternity.

Because no matter how far and wide she searched, no wish was pure enough, no desire good enough, no hope strong enough. Alone, alone, always alone, always fighting, always prevailing.

And so inevitably there came a moment when, ultimately, her power was not enough.

It was a strange déjà vu, the sight of a horde of demons sweeping through the village like a hurricane in the southern lands.

They gave no mercy. They knew none.

While they were drawn to the power of the jewel, they also wanted the revenge and pleasure in the pain of others. And her arrows ultimately couldn't save all the poor humans. They were the first blow to her, the first direct hit. She knew she couldn't save them, but at least she attempted to run herself, hoping that the demons would follow her and praying that the sacrifice of the lives of her friends and comrades would not be in vain. She ran and ran, aimlessly, followed by the demons, until she could run no more.

In knowing the moment of her death, she was fortunate. But the promise she had made to guard the jewel with her life was not so easily broken.

Staring into the eyes of her doom, she was fearless, which was an irony, as it took something as small as an earthworm to earn a yelp or scream from her. Of demons, she wasn't afraid.

But she wasn't Midoriko-sama. She couldn't slay ten of them with one stroke. The tale of the tragic apprentice of the great miko-sama would be forgotten, if ever told. And the Jewel of the Four Souls would be lost to darkness. But she couldn't bring herself to believe that it would be so. With her dying breath, she would defend the treasure. With her death, perhaps she would purify it completely.

With her death, there came only a flash of light.

She had never considered what might happen if she ever died. She faced death every day; she woke with it and went to sleep with it. Death was her only companion. Death awaited her at every turn.

But the actual death of the body was different than she would have expected.

When her body tumbled to the ground, her last strength allowed her to grip the jewel that had slipped from around her neck with her hand and grip it tightly. Her mortal, dying shell would have to be ripped to shreds before she gave up. But her clothes were entirely red now, the crimson colour of the setting sun, of blood.

But as she died, the spiritual energy that had been enclosed in her body, residing within like a guardian spirit, was released in one blast, be it her dying wish or not. All that remained was the corpse of a young woman, clutching her treasure, and the ashes of the assaulting demons.

At last, she should have been at peace.

But death was a curious thing, the priestess discovered, and she couldn't even summon the energy to scream upon witnessing her physical body in front of her, still bleeding, but clearly dead. Her long black hair was looking messier than ever, the strands sticky with blood and glued together. Her eyes were still half-open, their almost unnatural pale blue color shining like some message from the spiritual realm. Her youthful face was in pain and shrouded in was a horrible sight to behold, for all her beauty.

Yet she continued! Her physical body was irreparably damaged, lying there, right in front of her, but the eyes she possessed didn't need the physical self to see! She looked down at her own figure, seeing the clothing matching that which the broken human doll in front of her wore, but hers were pristine and looked as fine as they never had before. She touched her head, feeling her hair, devoid of blood and silkier than she had ever thought it might be. She touched her face and felt the spot on her chest where her heart should be felt beating – that was the only thing that was absent.

Tamashi. She was dead. A soul. A spirit, whatever that could be called. But why did she still linger on?

"Do not fear." But she almost did, jumping a bit – was that even possible for a dead soul? – at the sound of a feminine voice nearby. "Everything will be all right."

The priestess turned to see a woman of seemingly her age or close enough to it standing nearby, holding what seemed to be an oar with a long, graceful arm. In a way, she seemed to have the grace and inner calm of Midoriko-sama, but her jet black hair was tied back in a bun and her matching eyes lacked the adventurous spirit of her former sensei. This woman was also dressed in a pale blue kimono with a wonderful iris pattern in places. She looked like an o-hime-sama, truly, save for the oar, which was downright odd.

"Who… who are you?" the dead priestess asked shakily.

"I am known as Ayame, a ferry girl from Reikai." Ayame. Iris. That explained the flowers. But she hardly seemed delicate like a flower, this woman. "You could consider me a shinigami, I suppose."

Now that was a word that the priestess understood and allowed herself a nod. Shinigami, death gods, came to claim the souls of… well, the dead. So it was true. She was really dead. Strangely, she felt a kind of peace upon finding out that she was right. It was over.

But then, panic crossed her features. "But if I'm dead, what of the jewel?" she asked desperately. "It cannot be left here for any wandering demon to seize!"

It seemed to take even the calm Ayame by surprise. A recently departed soul was worrying about her worldly concerns. That was a first, truly. Souls were rarely that virtuous. Instead of answering, she approached the dead body and crouched next to it, gently prying the fingers of the tightly shut palm open through some invisible force. There was the jewel, the cause of her death, the bane of her existence. Strangely, Ayame didn't touch it, only took it by the end of the thread that gathered the pendant-like necklace and handed it to the priestess, who was downright surprised to be able to touch it despite her current state of death.

"This is an object not of this world." Ayame said, breaking the girl's train of thought. "It causes great unrest in the Ningenkai and makes it harder for us to proceed with the separation of the Makai from this world." The priestess understood only bits and pieces, but started to believe that the jewel wouldn't be left here.

Steps and cries were heard and both the ferry girl and the priestess turned to see the villagers, what was left of them, rushing to the site of the battle. They saw the ashes and the dead body, earning it a cry of despair from one of the women as they gathered around it and began crying, one by one. The priestess almost cried out to them that she was there, that it was all right, that the jewel was safe, but they didn't see her. Nor did they see Ayame, who watched this with a levelled expression, as if she had witnessed such things before.

Finally, a voice cried that the jewel was gone, which led to an uproar of murmurs, but even as her surroundings were searched, the artefact wasn't discovered. Some scorned the searchers for their hypocrisy; couldn't they see that their miko-sama was dead? It was a disgrace to think of such things when she had been taken from them. Others insisted that the miko-sama died to protect the jewel and its loss would make her sacrifice all for naught. But the priestess, silent, watching, felt no sadness upon seeing the general uproar. They had been saved by her death. Now, no monsters would assault their village, hoping to attain something they could never have.

"What happens now?" the priestess asked when she finally regained her voice. She couldn't look at Ayame.

And the ferry girl understood. "The jewel makes your case a special one. Normally, you would be simply taken to heaven for your virtue, as stamped by Koenma-sama. However, the situation is not usual. The jewel must be dealt with and you have been its protector for all its existence. I was ordered to take you to Koenma-sama as soon as possible. If you are ready, we should depart."

The name stirred a memory. True, she had served as a Shinto priestess for all her days, but she understood some of the Buddhist ways and linked the name. Enma was the death god, the underworld deity of Buddhism. Ko meant… child? Perhaps it would be a different form of the deity, the priestess mused. But now that she knew that her belief was true and that deities existed – as she had known all her life – she was at peace in a way. She nodded to the ferry girl, Ayame. She was ready to depart to wherever she had to, be it heaven or hell or purgatory.

What she didn't expect was that Ayame would whip out the strange oar around which her arm had been snaked previously and hold it in a horizontal position. The ferry girl sat down on it, and, miracle above miracles, it remained floating a meter above the ground, carrying the weigh of the ferry girl with absolute ease. And though the priestess knew she was dead and that miracles were to be expected, she looked at the oar with amazement and bewilderment. Then she realized that Ayame had made room for her as well and she sat down behind the ferry girl, albeit slightly distrustfully. Of course she couldn't die again, she realized, but it was nevertheless downright odd to witness something that would one day be universally defined as the force of gravity without the involvement of wings.

And if seeing Ayame ride the oar had been bizarre, it was nothing compared to actually riding it with her. The little priestess clung to it for dear life, as if that mattered anymore. they flew higher and higher, and the priestess looked back, seeing trees grow small, settlements vanish, mountains become anthills. There was no mistake about it – they were leaving the land of the living.

The entire journey was silent and the priestess stared as they reached a giant doorway where Ayame identified herself and her guest to a strange metallic box. She stared as the ferry girl led her through halls filled with ogres of all colours and expressions, dealing with what appeared to be a giant mass of… paperwork. There was chatter all around, along with strange machines that could only be defined as futuristic. Finally, Ayame led the way to something that resembled a study or office, or at least the priestess believed that. She had been to a lord's estate previously, but all the boxes and devices were disturbing her and taking away her attention.

At last, Ayame stopped before a fancy table and a strange chair, nodding respectfully to the occupant, who was almost invisible to the priestess, as he was obscured by a giant mass of papers and engaged in a fiery argument with a one-horned blue ogre. Finally, the ogre outwore his welcome and the occupant, who the priestess thought was likely Koemna, jumped on top of the papers to beat some sense, literally, into his assistant.

Ayame politely cleared her throat again, discreetly waiting for the unfortunate ogre to scramble out of the office with several papers in hand. "I have brought you the priestess Kagome, as requested, Koenma-sama."

Her initial guess proved strangely correct. Ko did indeed mean child. Literally now, as she found herself fixed by two intelligent brown eyes that shone from a child's face. But the priestess was far too shaken by what had transpired less than an hour ago to believe that it was in any way amusing for a god to be a child in form. After all, she had seen just how the ogre had fled from the tiny lord's shouts, which were mighty indeed.

"Ah, Kagome!" the toddler lord said approvingly, with a nod in her direction. It was a somewhat familiar way of addressing her, but then again, she was a priestess and he was a god. "Good to see you for real at long last." The bewildered expression on her face changed when she saw the strange boxes nearby start to display events as if they had been stuffed into the tiny container. Moving images… she saw images of what likely was taking place at the current moment. "Don't mind those. We have access to all kinds of technology you humans have yet to invent. It can be quite handy, let me tell you." Koenma said proudly.

Kagome could only nod. It seemed to her that nothing could surprise her now. "Ayame-san mentioned you wanted to speak about the jewel."

"Yes, let's get down to business." Koenma said, hopping back to his desk and took a file Ayame handed him with care. He hardly needed to go through it, but did nevertheless, then tossed it aside after a few seconds. "First of all, welcome to Reikai. That's the Spirit World, where we currently are. It's the only world that is thus far unaffected by that jewel. The demon involvement in the Ningenkai – the world in which you and all other mortals live – is becoming a problem for us."

For a child, he spoke surprisingly imperiously and seriously at the same time when he wanted to.

"I have therefore decided to permanently separate it from Makai, the Demon World, meaning that any and every demon currently residing on the other side will be taken to the Makai willingly or not. The creation of the Shikon no Tama has given us some problems, as it contains great power that could perhaps be enough to defy that rule if taken by a strong enough demon."

"And the jewel will be safe here in… Reikai?" Kagome asked carefully, hoping she remembered that.

How could a child's face grow so grim? "Well, to be honest, no. our vaults are safe when it comes to most dangerous artefacts. But that jewel is different. As it contains souls of both demons and a greatly powerful human, it has a certain will of its own that could be activated. Suppose it selects a demon as the best candidate for its usage. Then said demon would stop at nothing to gain it and would possibly be bold enough to break in even here."

"Aside from that, the jewel seems to react to you." Ayame interjected, but strangely, Koenma didn't snap at her or even glare.

"Exactly. Your separation from it might cause it to lose its purity rapidly and a tainted all-powerful demon magnet is the last thing I need on my hands now." Koenma said, satisfied that someone seemed to understand his concerns.

Even Kagome understood where he might be going with that, but decided not to be the first to suggest it. Rather, she frowned. "So why don't you destroy the jewel, then?" she handed the pinkish sphere to the child-god, but he didn't reach out to take it. "Can't we solve it that way?"

Somehow, it wasn't altogether surprising that both Koenma and Ayame shook their heads. "The jewel contains souls. It cannot be destroyed by conventional means. the only way is purification through a single wish and I don't think my wishes would be entirely unbiased." The toddler lord confessed somewhat grudgingly. At least he was honest, though. "I'm afraid we cannot do that. there is another option, though."

"Which brings us to you." Ayame added and ignored the reproachful look Koemna gave her for stealing his lines.

But he composed himself with a brief cough and turned back to Kagome. "While we cannot use the jewel to suit our purposes in the form of a good wish, it can be employed in other ways. You died prematurely, Kagome, and that can't be remedied. However, you still possess considerable spiritual power and holy power to remain a protector of the jewel." That made it sound like they wanted to take away her peace even in the afterlife and an outraged Kagome was about to protest when the child-god quickly raised his hand to make her wait, clearly a bit frightened by her righteous anger. "Let me finish. You'll get another chance at life, but not an ordinary human life. I want you to remain the guardian of the jewel and a member of the staff here."

"You want me to be a ferry girl?" Kagome asked, glancing at Ayame.

"Not quite. I want you to be something of an executive force in Makai." That sounded strange, but caught Kagome's attention. "Makai is a world of demons, where order is scarce. But it must be built in order to maintain harmony between the realms. It isn't good for mortals to know about demons, we've discovered that a bit too late, I guess. And the jewel can help us in separating them from humans. You see, it can manage to attract demons into Makai through its powers. We'll use it to lure demons there and then cut off their connection with Ningenkai. You will serve as my representative with the Makai lords and help maintain order there." Koenma sighed when he spotted Ayame giving him a rather doubting look. Kagome only stared. "It will be hard work. Demons adore bloodshed and will not hesitate to try and kill you to obtain the jewel."

Death. It wasn't such an unfamiliar concept now. Would she end up in this strange office again?

"Again?"

"Unfortunately. But the jewel will grant you more power and you will be something like a ferry girl – your physical self can be destroyed, but it isn't a mortal body anymore. It won't age as long as you possess it and that might be a very long time. Besides, it's not like you'll be alone for too long. When and if we discover a warrior or holy person strong enough to join you in this task, we'll send them to you and you'll get to choose partners. Plus, you'll be trained first, naturally. Spiritual power will be worth nothing if you can't use it in the Makai."

Though Koenma seemed satisfied with that arrangement, the ferry girl Ayame understood the mix of emotions that crossed the priestess's face. An eternal life in the demon world… "Of course you don't have to be in Makai all the time." Ayame assured her, which earned her a weak smile. "You will be needed only occasionally, to solve disputes and spread order."

Even the toddler lord now looked at Kagome without any imperiousness, witnessing the rather torn emotions she felt. Truthfully, Koenma wasn't one to turn to for comfort, but there weren't many solutions he could choose from when dealing with this Shikon no Tama. Besides, Kagome was the perfect person for the job, at least he hoped. The jewel would help her and hinder her at the same time, though to a lesser degree now that she would be in full command of her powers. Still, it was quite a predicament and he understood that. but he didn't really have the words to voice it, especially when Ayame was around and seemed to be doing a good enough job at calming the priestess herself.

The priestess was shaken. Here she was, in the spirit world, given an offer to be a successor of Midoriko-sama, and she was faltering in her devotion to the cause. Certainly, she had faced demons before, but a full world of them? And she couldn't imagine what it might be like, helping build a world exclusively for youkai. But then she remembered the faces of the villagers that had carried her limp body and cried for her, those she had vowed not to disappoint.

Would this be betrayal? What would be the punishment for defiance?

She struggled for words, but couldn't even find the strength to faint and save herself from that. Did spirits faint, anyway? It would have been nice to know. Nevertheless, she remained standing there, staring at those two supernatural entities, Ayame and Koenma, knowing that she couldn't refuse even if she wanted to, knowing that her future was decided.

"I'll do it." she said, faintly but audibly.

It seemed that both of the deities were surprised, but Koenma was the first to recover, his grim face replaced by a beaming grin only a child could muster. He seemed to have taken a liking to Kagome already.

"I knew I could count on you, Kagome!" he said happily. "You'll do great, I'm sure… I hope, because if Father would consider it a failure…" the toddler lord cringed slightly, but recomposed himself almost immediately. "Anyway, we'll deal with that if that time comes."

Ayame was quickly assigned to being her guide in the basics of her new life, and the dark-haired ferry girl seemed to have acquired a newfound respect for the dead priestess, though she showed it only in her gestures. She was as polite as ever otherwise, showing Kagome the parts of the offices, introducing her to particular ogres of importance – which Kagome found downright bizarre – and then, finally, showing her a room she could now consider hers.

"We will teach you everything you need to know about those." she said with a slight smile when Kagome attempted to figure out the television set. "You handled everything exceptionally well. Some souls can be hostile after their death or fall into despair and, eventually, insanity. I'm glad that wasn't your case."

Kagome gave a shaky laugh at the mention of such a fate. "Yes, I am too. Koenma-sama was kind to me."

"I think you surprised him a bit by accepting that easily." Ayame said, sitting down on the nearest chair with far too much elegance. "Your task will likely last until we find a way to purify the jewel, which might take many decades. Centuries, perhaps. I admire you for that."

Kagome nodded in thanks. "I know it will be difficult. But… it must be done." she said, her voice resigned to her chore. Duty called…

Duty which became her sole sustenance for many years.


	2. Seekers of the Sacred Jewel

And the plot begins! It enters along with everyone's favourite kitsune, I suppose. Corrections, suggestions and, mainly, reviews? Send them my way!

**Edit: **For the sake of going through possible typos and changing a few things here and there, this fic is being reposted. Stay tuned!

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**Seekers of the sacred jewel**

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"Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold."

- William Shakespeare

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It was hardly the first time he had heard mention of the Shikon no Tama, but it certainly wasn't the last.

The Jewel of Four Souls, along with its protector, was now somewhat of a legend in both Makai and Reikai – the only world that didn't have any idea that the myth of the jewel continued in another realm, along with its priestess, was Ningenkai, and that was a good thing, in his not-so-humble opinion. Humans had no business wanting the jewel that they wouldn't be able to control either way. It was far too powerful and therefore useless to them. Ningen were doomed to remain ningen. Seeking such things should be rightfully left to youkai.

It was ironic, then, that he himself was somewhat against the idea of owning the jewel itself, at least for a long-term period of time.

After all, the jewel was rumoured to be able to attract other demons, which alone was an undesirable factor. Aside from that, what good was an amplifier of his power that could be separated from him? No, better to have it briefly and barter it for something that would last a shorter time, perhaps, but was more versatile when it came to value and usage. Namely, money. Or anything else that counted as gain, which meant that it had to have an equivalent in gold or something more useful or valuable to the general masses.

Which was precisely why he was listening to the plan suggestion one of his subordinates was laying out carefully with only half an ear.

Hierarchy among thieves was a dreadfully fragile thing, especially as they were all demons, but if there was anything all of them agreed upon, it was the matter of leadership. If a contest of power or skill was held, there would be only one winner; him. That was all that was required to elect him as their leader, even if the alliances between the rest of them could turn out to be shaky at times. Should ever the moment arrive when he would abandon the lower class goons to their fate, it was only logical that they would likely be at each others' throats within the minute. He was the link that united all the chains binding them together. And rightly so, he could think without vanity.

After all, Youko Kurama was hardly known throughout Makai as the King of Thieves for nothing.

Curiously, it had been boredom that had led him to the path he now walked proudly and fearlessly.

A high-class demon, gifted with a lifespan that could very well be infinite, if he so chose, had a wide range of activities to indulge himself in, but after some time, even the greatest amusements could turn to be trivial, useless. Not that he needed a higher purpose in his life, no. Though he was more honourable than most he worked with, he didn't need such beliefs to cling to. What he needed was a challenge. Something to hone and perfect his skills on. And what was more of a challenge than cracking a code, solving a puzzle or, say, the application of these skills on reality? And as situations that required such talents could prove to be scarce, what better amusement was there than making a living out of outsmarting others?

There were moments of greed, of course, but his mind was too controlled to allow them to take over. He was a paradox in that, as his main priority was overcoming obstacles along the way to a goal, not the goal itself, be it an item or a stash of money. That, however, didn't mean that such distractions were unwelcome.

It had been hundreds of years ever since this little journey had begun, thousands of jobs had been done ever since and failure was still far away. And even after centuries, if there was anything Youko dreaded, it was that there would come a moment when the challenges would run out and he would have to find something else to focus his attention on. At the current moment, that was mercifully just a distant, blurry vision of the future.

"Well, what do you say, okashira?"

The furry white ear alerted him to being addressed at long last by a slight twitch as it picked up the change of the speaker's tone. The rest mostly deferred to him even more than simply naming him leader, either because they hoped to gain his favour or, more logically, even, because they had a natural fear of him. Which was just as well, because while he was a patient demon, mercy was not a word that would be found in his active vocabulary.

He knew the concept of it and the meaning of it; he simply chose not to use it.

The kitsune was a bit annoyed that he had to shift from his comfortable position on the branch he was using as a substitute for a divan. They had come up with this plan on their own, which alone was praiseworthy, but somehow, it seemed slightly far-fetched to him, the master planner. For half an hour they had been attempting to convince him to join them in their attempt to seize the sacred jewel from its protector, who was, rumour had it, a ningen who had died and was then promoted to reigen because of that jewel. Aside from that, it turned out that it was a woman, thus some of the thieves thought that it couldn't be easier.

They had bored him with a lengthy account of how powerful the jewel could make one and that they would be invincible with it. Now, really, these low-class demons could exaggerate. They were capable in their own way, true, but even with any strange powers courtesy of that gemstone, they would likely be easily overcome if their opponent was smart enough.

But he couldn't openly shoot down the idea, because they were too eager and the last thing he wanted on his hands now was a split in his forces. Not that they didn't thrive, no, but he didn't fancy some petty attempt to overthrow him or something more drastic, like murdering him in his sleep.

He just hated losing men that way.

Aside from that, there was another benefit. He would see just how powerful that fabled protector of the jewel was. If this proved to be more of a challenge than the usual burglary, he might actually have some amusement after the last few tiresomely easy jobs. After all, the gem was said to be a great treasure of Reikai and it was likely that ransoming it back to Koenma would earn him – and the others as well – a great amount of money. Parting with the pretty jewel required some nice trinkets in exchange to remember it by, after all.

Somehow, he bit back a sigh before speaking. No one was bothered when he didn't look at them at once – everyone knew that Kurama was nothing if not a deep thinker. Men have been killed for less than breaking his train of thought.

"While I have certain reservations against some particular specifics of your plan of action, I find the suggestion mostly agreeable." he said finally, earning himself a few fleeting seconds of silence without really trying.

Leaning against the trunk of the nearest tree, the shadowy figure of Kuronue smirked to himself. It never ceased to amuse him how Youko's habit of not using monosyllabic words when there was a preferably more intelligent-sounding alternative was available managed to confuse those poor souls who weren't on the same level of knowledge as he was. Be it a brief confusion or a lasting effect, it was always entertaining. Usually, the victims contained at least ninety-eight percent of the people forced to lead a more lengthy conversation with Youko, which could be translated as listening to about half a sentence he uttered.

The speaker of the assembled group of youkai, about a dozen men, give or take a few, was a boar youkai who, while utterly lacking any subtlety, was an excellent brawler. That was likely the reason why his suggested approach was that which suited him best – assaulting the woman with the jewel, separating her from her companions and getting the jewel during or after the battle. Preferably after, naturally, and from the woman's corpse. This kind of warriors believed that by overcoming a famed and likely strong enemy, they would gain more renown. It wasn't a very thief-like way of doing things, but some were in it for the glory, it seemed.

Youko Kurama needed to make no effort to raise his fame and glory and it had never been his intention to do so. However, he felt he understood the group's way of thinking, though he didn't necessarily approve it. Be as it may, he gave his word of permission – though everyone was waiting to see what kind of corrections or doubts he had. When he made no move to inform the demons of them, the boar youkai finally posed the question.

A pair of golden eyes swept the group, as if to size them up. Youko knew each of their strengths and weaknesses and thus was able to assess their situation with surprising accuracy. However, he didn't view them as up to the task of completing this job. Their primary mistake was that they believed they could slay the woman and he told them just that.

"If she was appointed to the task of guarding the jewel and still roams Makai without any fear, she is likely well prepared for encounters with would-be thieves." he explained calmly, speaking as plainly and as frankly as he could. "I will not stop you, but do not throw your lives needlessly, should there be another way. You are of no use to me dead."

There was a murmur of general agreement and even the boar youkai seemed to share that opinion. It was decided that they would leave at once. They had prepared whatever supplies they would need for the journey and, as luck would have it, it seemed that the jewel and its guardian weren't that far away. Apparently, there was some sort of annual council to be held in one of the major estates in Makai, which was a wonder in its own way, and the guardian, as a representative of Reikai, would need to be present. But that was only the first part of it.

"The best part is that there have been reports of renegade elemental youkai in the area and the woman and her companions will be forced to investigate it some time before the whole meeting." the boar youkai reported somewhat smugly. "They should be arriving any day now."

To this Youko only nodded and dismissed them all with his blessings. Otherwise, he remained sitting on his branch, until all were gone and only Kuronue remained. The bat youkai had decided to stay behind and have a bit of a chat with his comrade, as he seemed to be contemplating something. Or plotting, perhaps – with kitsune, there was no telling. Especially with this particular one.

"I do not share their belief in their own success." Youko said when the others had gone away.

He seemed to be paying little attention even to Kuronue and began to play a bit with some of the plant seeds he had with was his area of expertise, plants and their usage, as well as everything that went along with it. It was something of a symbiosis between the flora and the fauna, to allow one's energy to course through the other and create a sublime weapon of many forms. Nature was a powerful ally when properly handled. Though one could say that it was merely for show, Youko handled his plants with gentleness and a degree of respect he didn't seem to have for other most creatures, despite their rather serving purpose.

Kuronue had thinking the same thing, although he didn't mention that. One of the reasons they had lasted together as partners for so long was that they both knew each other's mindset relatively well. Even if they were at times as different as black and white – literally, from a certain point of view – they usually respected the opinions of one another, even though Kuronue could admit, grudgingly or not, in this case, that his friend was a tad higher on the food chain than he was himself. It made little difference to the two of them and most others as well.

"I don't think they have any real concept of what they will be up against." Kuronue noted, though his tone was almost matter-of-factly, as if he didn't really need to differ it from the one he would use when speaking of the weather. "They underestimate the guardian because of her origin and sex. You could have done more than just give them that nonchalant warning not to get killed. But then again, I suppose they wouldn't have listened."

"What do you know about this woman?" the kitsune asked, for the first time averting his gaze from the beautiful but deadly flowers blossoming in his palm, where mere seeds had laid motionlessly moments previously.

Fortunately, Kuronue had expected that question and was well prepared. Gathering such information usually took much bribery and good connections, but fortunately for them, this woman was so famous in Makai now that there was very little that could be gained that wasn't common knowledge already. Thus the price on the information market was almost ridiculously low.

"Aside from what you've heard from the others, I understand that she is very gifted in terms of spiritual power and, worse for us, holy power."

"As in like human priests and the like?" Youko asked with a mild frown. What good would sending a priestess to Makai, let alone deliberately, do Koenma? For a moment, he tried to see things from the Reikai ruler's point of view, absurd as it might seem. Who knew that he would have to lower himself to that position… "That would be too much of a coincidence. Koenma sent her here on purpose." he said with absolute certainty, which was backed up by a nod from Kuronue.

"Sharp as ever. It seems ridiculous to send the jewel all youkai would want into the heart of Makai. I managed to dig out that it was Koenma's idea from the beginning. The toddler wanted to use it as bait and lure all the weak youkai still residing in Ningenkai here to better separate the worlds. Apparently, the discovery that youkai and ningen can hardly coexist in what he imagines as harmony has finally sunk in."

Youko gave a wry half-smile. For the toddler lord, that was some quite deep thinking and good planning. Of course all demons would fall for such a trap, especially when a seemingly weak human woman was the only obstacle in their way. Oh, how wrong the first attackers must have been. That meant that the powers of the woman likely amounted to those of a very strong holy human, which meant that the mere touch of her would likely purify a youkai of the average strength. Interesting.

Kuronue knew his partner long enough to see that the kitsune was already starting to form some sort of plan, but refrained from questioning him just yet. It was better to supply him with whatever information that could be provided. Then, it would be very difficult for the plan to fail, whatever it would be.

"Aside from abilities of her own, the priestess has two companions that may prove somewhat troublesome. Koenma initially assigned them to her for her own protection, as bodyguards, but currently, they are somewhat of a team."

"Tell me about both of them." Youko said. He could already see the priestess with the jewel in a mind's eye, though she had no face yet in his vision, and wanted to finish the mental image accurately.

"Both used to be humans like the priestess – they had died in Ningenkai, but didn't pass on to the next world. Instead, they were chosen as her companions because of their talents. They are quite specific, but seem to function well together – a houshi known as Miroku and a youkai taijiya called Sango. You can see why they were chosen from their professions in Ningenkai. They will protect the priestess with their lives."

Youko nodded in a bit absent-minded matter, finally filling in the image of the three together, though the dominant figure was still the priestess. Of her and her powers, they knew the least, he discovered, as Kuronue finish his account of their basic powers from what eye-witnesses of their "exterminations" had accounted. It was likely that she didn't sully her hands when the two others could take care of the basic work, which was not so unlikely.

"The fools. Even if they somehow manage to obtain the jewel, if the priestess is working her holy magic on it, it will likely be infused with her own spiritual purity and goodness. It will destroy them on the spot." the kitsune noted somewhat dispassionately.

His partner got to that conclusion a bit slower, but when Youko voiced it, he understood the implications immediately. It was like sending them to their deaths without reason.

"Will you call them back?" he asked, though he didn't believe Youko would do it. After all, he had already given them their blessing as the leader and to withdraw it for a mere supposition would be viewed as either unfair or unreasonable.

"No." Youko said without even thinking about the answer. But it didn't seem to be because of lack of concern. "They will serve their purpose, though they need not know about it."

With a curt nod, Kuronue also held back a slight smirk. Evidently, the plan was ready. "Then the direct assault will serve as a distraction?"

"Yes. You will follow them on your own. Take care not to be seen by anyone, not even our men and keep your distance until absolutely necessary. Their combined youki will likely be enough to mask the presence of your own or at least distract the priestess and her companions, but you must be quick after the fight. Avoid the priestess." That surprised Kuronue, but there was no room for questioning. "And leave the direct battle to them, as they wish it. I want you to focus on the taijiya. She is the only of the three who doesn't possess any exceptional spiritual or holy power, correct?"

At last, Kuronue caught up with the plan and proceeded to broaden his now barely concealed smirk. As usual, it was nothing short of brilliance and yet another proof as to why there was only one thief legend in Makai. Within the hour, the "den" was quiet again and Youko was left to his contemplations.

In the end, the stupidity of others would serve him well, though of course they would never know of it. Somehow, he was actually looking forward to bargaining with the priestess, though she would likely respond badly at first. But if she was even the slightest bit human still, she would likely respond to his kind of bargaining. Aggressive negotiations would hardly help her, holy power or not.

And, of course, it would be a very fitting way of introducing himself to her.

X X X X X

In the meantime, miles away, with only a rudimentary knowledge of who the demon that had suddenly taken an interest in her person was, the miko known as Kagome was observing a field in Makai. She appeared as she had been centuries ago, a young woman in her mid to late teens, willowy in figure and somewhat childish in face. No one could have been able to tell that she had already passed beyond the point of death once and had no intention of returning there.

The jewel, the treasure she still protected, was still fastened around her neck, glowing faintly, pure to the very core. Of course, the same couldn't be claimed with complete honesty when speaking of one of her current companions.

The war cry of "HENTAI!" was heard behind her for the umpteenth time only that day, accompanied by a loud slap and a resolute silence as a young woman of about her age marched to her side and folded her arms, forcibly looking away from the object of her slapping, a young and somewhat unfortunately lecherous monk whose otherwise immaculate visage was currently marred by a large red imprint on his cheek, vaguely resembling a palm.

Such things were a regular occurrence among the three of them, though fortunately, after the first few times, Kagome had been excluded from those proceedings, primarily because even the slightest physical contact made with an impure intent on the monk's part seemed to burn him, a protection courtesy of the jewel. Unfortunately for Sango, she carried no such purifying gem herself, though she at times wished she did.

For as long as she remembered, the two of them had been Kagome's companions in the eternal quest to keep the Shikon no Tama safe from demons.

Sango didn't entirely understand the point of bringing it to the demon world while they were at it, but then again, she was always spoiling for a good fight to stretch her muscles. She had died in battle against youkai to save her younger brother, which she did; though what good it had done she didn't know. Koenma, when she had met him, had assured her that Kohaku had lived a fulfilled and strong life and had died without regrets. She had been given the opportunity to speak with his spirit before he left for heaven and if only for that, she felt she had to be grateful. It was her duty to help Kagome – and she was as strong and dedicated to it now as she had been to her job in life.

The only trouble was the monk. And while he was an irreplaceable addition to their team and – though the slayer would never admit it – rather charming when he wanted to be, he was also an incurable lecher and missed no opportunity to show his appreciation to certain parts of her anatomy that were not to be touched by any man who didn't have the matrimonial right to do so and even then, it was plausible only with her own permission. Certainly not in public and upon a perverse whim.

As for the "houshi-sama", as Sango always politely addressed him, despite his repeated transgressions against morality, he was slowly but surely becoming certain that afterlife was far from bad when he had the company of a beautiful woman and her many charms. As for Kagome-sama, who was the only one of the two he addressed with a title, respectable or not, she was to be admired from afar. He had learned that the hard way.

But with Sango, his intentions were somewhat different. Perhaps it was only the many years he had spent mostly with the two of them (though admittedly, when in Reikai, there were beautiful women to behold, ogres aside) but somehow, she and that deliciously form-fitting uniform she always wore when destroying demons had become very important to him. Even her slaps were less of a punishment than they had been previously.

"Did they say what type of elementals we will be facing?" Kagome asked, if only to divert the attention from the monk that was slowly attempting to catch up with their rather swift pace, set by the slayer, though he took care to remain out of the reach of her limbs and the massive boomerang swung over her shoulder. Of course, were she to throw it at him…

"Being close to forests, I would limit it to earth and wind youkai." Sango noted, the frown vanishing from her face bit by bit.

Kagome had the sneaking suspicion that she wasn't as offended by the monk's attentions as she wanted the world to believe. She simply wished that they would take a slightly less perverse form, which the priestess could wholeheartedly support. She herself had had enough experience with overeager males for the rest of eternity.

But her thoughts strayed back to the task at hand. She also had certain doubts about the whole mission. They had been exterminating hazardous youkai for centuries, killing the strong ones and the weak ones alike, though truly powerful demons usually realized when they were at a disadvantage and retreated. The vague nature of their instructions this time made her slightly uncertain. Throughout the years, they had also been faced with various attempts at traps, so that youkai could obtain the jewel. Most were easy enough to evade and escape, but one never truly knew.

Miroku seemed to be thinking along the same lines and jogged to their side, keeping Kagome between him and Sango while the mark of her hand slowly vanished from his cheek.

"With the meeting of the Makai Lords coming soon, it might be possible that a demon will want to take advantage of the attention being diverted elsewhere. I suppose they sent us here to make certain that the area will be secured by the time the conclave will take place. As long as the demons don't have enough time to prepare any such thing, it should be easier for us to deal with any potential surprises along the way."

But, contrary to what all of them were thinking, the plains of Makai around them seemed somewhat too peaceful. They usually traveled on foot, the three of them, but in recent decades, they had been fortunate enough to befriend several good youkai, including one which had aided Sango and her clan of demon slayers back in Ningenkai, Kirara, and though it was hard for the nekomata to carry three people, when in need, Miroku would surprisingly play the gentleman and attempt to be the one to keep up on his own feet.

Today, they were walking, with the kitten-like demon resting on the shoulder of Sango for the moment. They had already crossed quite a distance with her help and even a strong friend like her was far from completely tireless.

After an hour or so of peaceful stride and no more groping, Miroku was the first to slow down and eventually stop. In the demon realm, it was difficult to pinpoint hostile energy, but it was clear that they were currently surrounded by semi-powerful demons, whether they knew it or not. Kagome, whose awareness was slightly lesser than his, felt it mostly thanks to the jewel around her neck. It always reacted to youki within its wide radius and she herself felt something out of the ordinary. Only Sango didn't feel the energy as it was, but she saw her comrades stop and thought she heard a movement, subtle and quiet, somewhere not far ahead.

The moment they stopped and reached for their weapons, the assault began.

It was remarkable, in a way, because demons usually spouted nonsense at them, something along the lines of "Hand over the jewel!" or "I will be invincible!" and "I can feel it, give it to me! And your deaths will be quick!" Needless to say, none of those statements were overly inventive and had a certain repetitive pattern to them. Apparently, every demon saw itself as the fittest candidate to possess the jewel. But that was only natural. After all, there were times when the demon souls within the jewel itself were closer to the surface than they needed to be, and then they did the only thing they could – call out to others of their kind.

The three of them all readied their respective weapons and the first demon that dared fling itself at them was slashed to pieces by Sango's boomerang before she even managed to finish her war cry of "Hiraikotsu!" which was the trusty weapon's name. Though it didn't contain holy power as the other's weapons did, it had been infused with various demon-harming poisons throughout the years and now was cared for much more often than when she had been alive. As it was made from the bones of demons, it should last very long – and it had to. It was her primary weapon and she never considered that thought that there might come a day she would go to battle without it. Another demon that got closer discovered that it was equally effective in close range as a blunt weapon, because his skull was bashed before he managed to land and kind of hit.

Miroku, being an equally seasoned fighter of youkai, managed to pinpoint the boar youkai as the ringleader of the group and went for him, though the first sutra that landed a hit seemed to only burn him tremendously and cause little to mild damage. He surprised the monk with a large mace-like weapon that was swung in his general direction, almost landing a hit and causing Miroku to trip. Before he could scramble to hit feet or be mashed into a pulp, however, a bright pink light engulfed the mace and the demon let it go with a loud yell. The arrow that hit the weapon bounced off it, now useless, but the mace also tumbled to the ground and gave the not-so-defenceless monk ample opportunity to give the boar an ample daily dose of sutras that, if not killing him, clearly at least paralyzed him into unconsciousness.

The monk gave Kagome a nod of thanks as she readied her bow to launch another holy arrow upon Sango's shout of "Incoming!"

The taijiya was meanwhile dealing with several demons at once, and when one of them, a large bear youkai, finally managed to knock the Hiraikotsu from its trajectory, she whipped out the short sword that had till then remained unused at her side only to slice the offending youkai to distract him while she retrieved her weapon.

Two youkai that saw that this was a lost battle turned away to flee, but Miroku caught up with them and knocked both down with a swift spin of his staff. The smaller was knocked out, but the one that was still conscious managed to find out just how uncomfortable it could be to have a foot pressed to your throat, hard.

"Who sent you?" the monk demanded, giving more pressure and then lessening it, so that the demon could speak. Thus far, however, all the creature did was splutter and cough, which was a natural, if dissatisfying reaction. But this group of demons, while quite strong, could hardly have thought of this on their own. These were henchmen, clearly. "Tell me now; who sent you to steal the sacred jewel?"

But before the youkai got to speaking, the demon lying next to made a move to stab Miroku with the dagger he still held in his hand. When he only grazed the monk's hand with a small scratch, he used the moment when Miroku jumped away to avoid the blade and stabbed his comrade, dying himself soon enough. The monk swore slightly under his breath. Loyalty was hardly the thing he had counted on when dealing with thieves.

Kagome returned to his side, her bow losing its otherworldly shine as she relaxed her holy energy and examined the demons. She didn't really even have to say that they were dead.

"This is bad." Miroku noted, glancing at the priestess. "If they chose death rather than revealing even the slightest secret, we might have a full-scale conspiracy on our hands. And I suspect that these youkai were sent only to assess our general strength, not to truly steal the jewel from you, Kagome-sama."

"Let's hope that you're wrong on that account, Miroku-sama." Kagome said ruefully, because she could very well imagine just what that meant. They would have to be extra careful at the conclave and report to Koenma as soon as possible. Perhaps, if they gathered more clues, they would come to some conclusion.

And while the two of them believed everything was over now, Sango remained scouting around, weapon still at the ready. She might not possess the same level of spiritual awareness as the two others, but she was reasonably certain that they were still being watched by someone or something. The search drew her a bit further from the others, though she was still within earshot and saw them quite clearly, just in case she would need to intervene with an attack.

Never did she suspect anything else than the jewel being the target of the attack.

Sensing movement, she threw Hiraikotsu with all her might, allowing it to cut through the foliage. But she didn't see what she was aiming at and before she realized she had missed her invisible target, she felt a strange scent, flowery and at the same time quite the opposite, reach her and it knocked her out, gas mask or not, more effectively than a fist to her head ever could.

The last thing she heard was Hiraikotsu swishing above her head, passing her when she couldn't summon the strength to catch it; the last impulse she felt were distinctly male arms wrapping themselves safely around her waist and lifting her from the ground. Then, she knew no more.

It was both the youki that suddenly surfaced and the impact of Hiraikotsu nearby that startled both Miroku and Kagome from their reverie. They both scrambled to their feet, but had no time to even ready their weapons. Kagome managed to fire one arrow, but by then, the creature she now perceived as a bird or bat youkai – the latter being more probable – carrying the strangely limp body of Sango was too high and far for the holy energy to make direct contact. Both of them cried Sango's name, but received no response.

Miroku was gripping his staff so hard it seemed to be a miracle that it didn't crack. Despite her own anguish, Kagome couldn't remember ever seeing the normally cheerful monk so agitated and enraged. Of course, she had long since suspected that Sango might mean more to him than he let her and the world know, but this was the final clue.

This was despair, anguish, and fury.

"Damn them." he hissed, almost making Kagome back away. "This was their plan. Sango was the target, not you or the jewel."

That was a possibility neither of them had considered and, finally, Kagome caught up with the idea Miroku was suggesting. "Because she doesn't have holy powers…"

"Indeed." The monk nodded grimly. "Sango is an excellent fighter, but if captured by youkai, she has no such effective means of repelling them. I fear whoever has captured her will use her as bait for a trap."

Kagome almost swore herself, but she was too saddened to even think of a fitting invective. That, of course, meant that whoever had arranged this little trap for them knew more about them than was fitting for a demon and had assessed them more accurately without even meeting them than most opponents had after many battles. The captors that held Sango knew that she and Miroku would never allow them to take their comrade without a fight.

A small noise was heard, accompanied by a much louder groan. The monk and the priestess sharply turned towards its source. It seemed that the boar youkai, while in great pain, had awakened from his paralysis.

"S-s-so… this was… your plan… clever fox… bastard…"

He didn't even panic when approached by two people of high holy energy, because he was too injured and tired. Kagome crouched next to him, but Miroku remained standing, ready to slap on another sutra or two, should the demon get any ideas. The priestess perceived that he was too weak now and decided that he might respond better to kindness than to threats, as he would likely die no matter what they threatened him with.

"What fox?" she asked with a hint of gentleness. The boar youkai's eyes wanted to snap to her fearfully, but almost howled in pain again in the attempt. "It's all right, don't be afraid. Tell me about him. You didn't know about this trick?"

While the boar clearly wasn't certain whether or not to trust her, he decided that if nothing else, he would at least help the kitsune's enemies with his last words. "K-Kurama…" he spluttered, hissing in pain just the same, as if it were a curse.

"Youko K-Kurama… s-sent… us…" but he didn't elaborate, as several things happened at once. The boar attempted to reach for the Shikon no Tama, which shone from around Kagome's neck for all to see, retracted in pain and died due to the swift stab of Miroku's staff, an automatic motion to protect Kagome from harm.

The priestess sighed and rose to her feet. "That was not yet necessary, Miroku-sama. The purity would have stopped him on its own accord."

But the monk was thinking ahead and didn't really think about what had just happened. He seemed to be far too focused on avenging Sango's capture. "He likely didn't know much anyway. This Youko Kurama, I've heard tales about him. He's said to be the most ruthless and successful thief here in Makai."

"Rather fitting for a kitsune." Kagome said, though it was devoid of her usual brightness. She had heard of the thief as well and was hardly pleased to have him on their tail. Especially since the stories seemed to hardly do him justice. "So what do we do now? If he has Sango…"

"I suppose it is only a matter of time before we are contacted." the monk interjected, his face unnaturally grim. The mere mental image of Sango in a den of thieves, unconscious and at their mercy, was enough to enrage him. "Now that we know who the have the honor of dealing with, I doubt that we will have to wait for long."


	3. A coral captured

Sorry about the delay, vacation rocks! Anyway, here is chapter three!

X X X

**A coral captured**

X X X X X

"There is no greater hell than being a prisoner of fear."

- Ben Johnson

X X X X X

Even while missing their companion, Miroku and Kagome managed to locate and clear out the troublesome earth demons that they had been sent out to deal with in the first place.

It was in cases such as this that they discovered that the poisons Sango employed at times were direly missed, as they would have been a tremendous help. Especially as Kagome's cheek had earned an unnecessary scratch and Miroku narrowly avoided a bleeding lip when sharp rocks had begun flying in their general direction.

While Miroku searched the demons for potentially hazardous objects that would have to be reported, Kagome took out a small, mirror-like object, and used the communicator to all Reikai at once. While she had questioned such technology years ago, it was an invaluable part of her everyday life now, though she still didn't understand exactly how the television set functioned.

There were only two people that had access to the line of this personal communicator, that being Ayame, the ferry girl that had first brought Kagome to Reikai and who still served as her group's primary link to the spirit world and Koenma himself, because of the importance of her person. It was Ayame that her call targeted this time and it was also the ferry girl who picked up soon enough. She, like Kagome and the others, had not changed in the least despite the passing years.

"Nice to see you again, Kagome-san." The always calm and collected-looking ferry girl said pleasantly. It appeared that she was in the archives, which was generally the place she could be found at. Ayame, despite her official status, was more of an advisor to Koenma than an actual ferry girl and Kagome suspected at times that it wasn't only because she excelled in that work. "Can I do something for you?"

The priestess nodded immediately. "We have a problem, Ayame-san. Sango-chan has been captured by youkai during an unexpected assault and we have learned that the thief known as Youko Kurama might be behind the kidnapping. I'd like you to find us any information about this guy you can dig up. The archives have to have a file on him."

"Youko Kurama, you say? Well of course, but the file might be too large to process directly." Ayame noted with a small frown. "It's polluted with rumoured sightings and second-hand information. I'll have to scan it manually and see what kind of information will be useful to you. Hopefully, I'll send you something that isn't merely common knowledge or trash. I will call you back as soon as I have something useful."

"That would be great. Thank you, Ayame-san." The image of the archives and the ferry girl vanished and Kagome replaced the communicator in the pouch she carried instead of a bag. It contained only the most useful things to her and usually was hidden underneath her robes, though it was hardly possible that any demon would get a chance to steal any of its contents.

Meanwhile, Miroku had all but finished his rudimentary check of the slain demons. They were simple pests, low-class youkai that had been likely driven into rage by some occurrence or another, possibly the upcoming summit. It couldn't be helped, ultimately. Beasts had to be caged or destroyed if they couldn't control themselves and, all in all, he and Kagome had destroyed them rather mercifully, considering the trouble they had given them with the flying rocks. That hadn't been a good experience. Though he had died differently, he now had a very good idea of what it felt like to be stoned to death.

His thoughts strayed back to Sango. He had calmed himself somewhat, but the unease remained. In a way, it was pointless to worry too much – if the thieves had as much honour as the ones he had wanted to interrogate had, then they would likely fear their leaders far too much to even think of… well, anything _he _might like to do with Sango. But that was different. Mistreating Sango in any way had never been his intent. He simply hoped that they would be too focused on obtaining the jewel from Kagome to even think of harming their captive in any way.

Kagome saw his rather grim expression, but had no words of comfort. She, too, was very upset by the loss of her best friend, her first true friend, which she had never had in her life before.

"We _will_ get her back, Miroku-sama." she said quietly, but resolutely. "She will be all right. Sango-chan is strong."

Kirara, who was not tasked with the need to carry Hiraikotsu, a weapon with which even Miroku with his strength had problems, meowed loudly in her full demonic form, following them both obediently through the forest as they moved on.

And the strength both of them allowed their thoughts to dwell on had a chance to display itself a few hours previously. Prior to her arrival to the den of the thieves that had captured her, prior to the realization that she had been captured, Sango had woken up rather slowly and groggily acknowledged that she was at least several hundred meters above the ground. Surprisingly, she wasn't as startled as a normal human ought to be, because she was used to flying on Kirara when occasion required it. But Kirara's familiar warm body was nowhere in sight. She wasn't even carried by the grip of her teeth.

Instead, there was a firm ring around her waist, formed by the living, warm flesh of two firm arms that somehow gave her the shivers. Her honed senses felt the youki surrounding her and managed to gather that she had been captured by the youkai she had sensed previously and whom she had attempted and failed to slay. Now that was a first for the experienced slayer. Her Hiraikotsu was gone and her sword had been taken, but she still could have fought, had she wanted to. But it felt somehow suicidal to fight against the creature that stood between her and a very long fall, thus she refrained from taking her chances.

Another thing she felt was something tucked behind her ear that wasn't her hair, which she reached out to extract. Her captor did not react to that in any way, though she could tell that her consciousness hadn't gone unregistered by him. She felt his muscles tense briefly, as if he was readying himself for a possible foolish attack, and then relax a bit when her hand only reached for what she discovered was a flower.

Sango blinked. What she held in her hand and examined was a relatively pretty flower, the colour of which actually suited her exterminator outfit, as it was only a shade darker than her armour. It was wilted and dead now, but still appeared pleasing to the eye. She refrained from sniffing it, however, recalling the flowery smell that she now associated with her capture. And she connected the flower with the scent. That meant that she was conscious only because the flower had died and its effects had weakened or possibly worn off. However, being so high in the air and likely miles away from Miroku and Kagome, she had no idea how long they had been flying or where they were heading.

The former was doomed to remain a mystery to her. The latter she discovered a few minutes later, when they began their descent into the forest.

Sango attempted to pay attention to where they were, but then realized that it looked like any other part of any other forest to her. In short, she had no idea where she was or how to return to the others. She saw the settlement, however, a very well-hidden series of dwellings, high up in the giant trees and practically invisible to the casual eye, especially since one didn't know where to look.

They landed relatively gently, which the taijiya viewed as surprising, but the grip on her waist was released only once it was certain that she wasn't about to try some foolhardy escape. When she finally had the chance to turn around, she managed to get a better look at her captor, who awarded her with a small grin upon seeing her interest. And while Sango couldn't entirely honestly say that the word "handsome" defined him from her point of view, the words "tall" and "dark" certainly did. In fact, something in him reminded her of Miroku, with the major difference that the youkai's hands hadn't strayed even half an inch beneath her waist throughout the entire journey, though she couldn't vouch for the time when she had been unconscious.

She boldly wrestled her arm away from his grip when he attempted to lead her away to somewhere.

"I can walk, you know." she said crossly.

Her voice and their rather ceremonious arrival had attracted the attention of some of the other residents of the settlement, she noticed. There were youkai everywhere, of all kinds, though they mostly seemed to be of animal species of various shapes and sizes. Most of them had a human form, and the illusion was cancelled out only by different skin and hair shades and an extra ear or tail here and there.

The bat youkai's grin turned to a not overly subtle smirk, but complied with her demand. "You are our guest, taijiya-san, as long as you behave like one." he said, not ironically, but there was a slight chiding undertone and definite amusement behind it.

Ninety-nine out of a hundred women that would have been dragged to their den would have squirmed in fear and started crying pathetically. The hundredth seemed to have an actual personality. That was certainly new.

But she didn't seem to find his respect of her wishes endearing enough to warm up to him so easily. A shame, Kuronue sighed inwardly with no small degree of amusement. And here they were getting along so well…

"And whose guest might I be, then, if I had to be brought here in such a fashion?" Sango demanded. Not that she would ever accept an invitation to a youkai den, but she was somewhat uncertain as to what they wanted to do with her. And, most importantly, who "they" actually were.

But before her tall dark stranger could give her an answer aside from the good humour she thought she saw in his blackish eyes – and which annoyed her thoroughly, as it seemed to be mocking her – another voice interrupted, one that was chilling despite its pleasant timbre.

"Ah, you have returned, Kuronue. And with the huntress, I see. Well done."

The bat youkai, Kuronue, Sango supposed, nodded curtly in thanks to the figure that approached them and the taijiya turned her head just in time to see Youko Kurama arrive. Though she didn't know his name yet, she immediately pinpointed him as the leader of the thieves, as all the others acknowledged his presence and his stride alone seemed to show that he owned the place and was aware of it. And while Sango, both as a taijiya and a smart woman, knew better than to even consider romantic involvement with demons of any kind, would have, in a different situation, admitted that this youkai was exceptionally beautiful, though whether it was just the drastic comparison with other youkai she had faced and destroyed or just his appearance alone was somewhat questionable.

Presently, however, all Sango assessed was that he was the strongest demon around and likely her "host".

The kitsune strode towards her and stopped a few feet away, just within a respectable distance, and gave a half-satisfied, half-superior smile to her. What puzzled the demon slayer most was the odd respect he seemed to be treating her with. His golden eyes remained surprisingly cold, providing a startling contrast.

"Sango the taijiiya. Welcome to our humble home. Have no fear; your stay will be short and hopefully painless to both sides of the conflict."

"What do you want?" Sango asked without a pretext, doing her best to maintain eye contact with the white demon. For all his beauty, there was simply something in him that gave her the shivers. But she would die before allowing him to see her unnerved, which made her exceed the expectations most demons had about humans.

There was a general laugh, marred by the tension that had risen almost at once. No one in living memory had dared speak that way to Youko, certainly not a human woman and a captive at that. Kuronue was watching with a mildly interested look, keeping his eyes on the slayer, who remained firm. Momentarily, an almost indulgent look appeared on Youko's face, even though it neither approved of such boldness nor condemned the woman for it.

"What every demon and thief desires, Sango-san. Your companion's pretty necklace. I have a weakness for shiny things, you see." the kitsune said indulgently, the liquid gold of his eyes glittering.

The slayer's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before narrowing into a dangerous glare that would have made a lesser youkai back off. Youko didn't even flinch, but also didn't toy with her, which partially served to his credit.

"You will never succeed." Sango said solemnly, clearly firmly certain of every word. "Kagome-chan will purify you before you even spot the jewel."

_Ka_-go-_me_. An unusual name, that, but Youko gathered that it was the priestess, naturally. The name had no meaning and was likely unique. How fitting.

"Of course. Which is where you come in." the kitsune noted smoothly. "Tell me, what is more important to you companions? The jewel… or their friend's life?"

As Sango comprehended exactly just how bad the situation was, the kitsune turned away from her and gave the bat youkai, Kuronue, her mind supplied despite its state of shock and anger, and gave him instructions as to when and where the exchange should take place. Kuronue took off almost at once, though not before tossing Sango another half-smirk to which she couldn't even summon the will to glare in reply.

X X X X X

As guests of honour, representatives of Reikai and its ruler and generally famous entities in Makai, the monk and the priestess were lodged in one of the few estates of the world that served for representative purposes, which was a rarity in its own way. The Lords of Makai rarely met, such was the hatred between them, but on occasion, it was required. The rooms of the Reikai guests were off-limits to anyone else and they usually took turns in sleeping and maintaining a barrier while in Makai. Fortunately, their sleep requirements had diminished somewhat in this incarnation.

Tonight, neither of them had a very pleasant sleep, even though their rooms were of the highest quality and furnished in a way that would not offend even Koenma himself. Instead, they had retreated to only one room, though conversation was scarce.

Ayame had contacted them only briefly to say that she still had only bits and pieces here and there – and that even that information still needed a major sorting.

Though both were usually talkative, the mood tonight was surprisingly dark. Until, finally, after torturous hours, a knock on the door both broke the silence and awkwardness and signalled the end of the longest time Miroku had spent alone with a woman without attempting to show parts of her body his appreciation or ask her to bear his child.

"Excuse me, but you have a man wanting to speak with you waiting, houshi-sama, miko-sama." the attendant said with the practiced blankness of a servant.

"We do not offer audiences." Miroku noted with a hint of bitterness. The female youkai didn't seem to be to his taste at the moment.

The she-demon nodded, aware of the fact. "I told him that, but he insisted I give you this before you make up your minds." She handed the monk something long wrapped in a simple folded cloth.

What its unwrapping revealed had Kagome out of the room before Miroku could even register what it was and think of a reaction. It was Sango's sword.

Kagome liked the waiting youkai with the one that had kidnapped Sango upon seeing him – she could identify his species and recognized some of his appearance. After all, she had shot an arrow at him, though it was clear she had missed. As for Kuronue, he seemed surprisingly patient, feeling the aura of the jewel move closer, along with the purity centred in a single creature.

The priestess was an equal of the taijiya in terms of beauty, but seemed more exotic where the slayer had been gentle – though only in appearance. Perhaps it was the holy aura that surrounded her. The monk he acknowledged primarily due to the fierce yet fiercely controlled anger he radiated. The half-bow he gave them both was almost mocking and received no response.

Surprisingly, it was the monk who spoke first. "I hope the sword doesn't signify the captive's current state of health." he said, with a tone that could be interpreted both as warning and menacing at the same time.

"Rest assured your lovely taijiya has not been harmed in the slightest." It was somehow satisfying to see the monk tighten his grip on his staff and his look darken. It betrayed his concern for the woman, whether he knew it or not. "And she will not be harmed in the slightest as long as we come to an understanding. At the moment, she is merely our guest."

Only the priestess appeared to be unaffected, though she was far from emotionless at the moment. It seemed she merely knew where they stood. "Give us the time and place of the exchange. We will be there. If one hair on Sango-chan's head will be out of place, I will purify you to the next world along with your leader. Tell Kurama that."

So she had figured it out. Or perhaps one of the dead goons had spilled that information prior to their tragically pure demise. Ah, well, there was no harm in them knowing who they were dealing with. Perhaps they would at least not try anything much.

"Kurama sends his regards, but is far too busy with other matters of importance to meet you personally." Kuronue noted nonchalantly, partly because he knew it would annoy them, partly because it was likely true. "Tomorrow at midnight," The time had been purposely chosen, because the powers of purification generally were weakest during that point of the night. "At the spot where the taijiya was captured. Only your presence is required, Kagome-sama."

The title was a bit twisted when coming from a youkai's mouth, the name split a bit into its particular syllables. But Kagome wondered primarily just when Sango had mentioned her, because Sango was the only person who could have revealed that name to the thieves. Not that it mattered, but it further made her certain that they had to rescue the slayer as soon as possible.

"Done." she said, before Miroku had a chance to protest.

Kuronue gave her another half-bow before exiting without drama. Miroku even forgot that he had been debating whether or not to use Sango's sword now that he had the chance as he turned to Kagome with worry.

"Kagome-sama, this is a trap if I ever saw one. You cannot trust those demons. They likely plan to rob you of the jewel and kill Sango," he said once he was certain Kuronue was out of earshot. The very thought was chilling. "Or kill you and then steal the jewel."

"Sango-chan will be all right." Kagome said, trying hard to believe it. After all, there was no true use in keeping the taijiya captive or killing her, unless it would be out of pure spite. Which wasn't that impossible, unfortunately, but at least it wasn't certain. "And I will be too. They underestimate me still."

But the monk didn't seem so certain of that, even if he knew that dissuading Kagome when she had made up her mind about something was futile. Her decision was very honourable and he too wanted to save Sango as soon as possible, but… they had all sworn to protect the jewel with their lives, because it was worth much more than even that great sacrifice. And so he was the first to come across the question that would likely haunt him throughout the centuries – what was the jewel worth? Was it worth sacrificing a human life?

Was a life worth sacrificing the jewel that, once infused into a demon's body, could bring thousands of other lives to an end?

Miles away, in a room that was equipped with everything she would need for survival, including edible food and water, as if she truly was a guest, Sango wondered the same.

X X X X X

The promised hour came and Kagome watched Kirara transform back into her kittenish state of disguise as she stood on the spot where they had battled the thieves for the first time. She was a bit early and still had minutes to spare, but she wanted to assess her current situation and the battleground.

There was nothing out of the ordinary lurking in the shadows, but neither Sango nor her captors were anywhere in sight. Kagome was actually prepared for the possibility that they will abandon the exchange altogether and merely proceed to attack her at once, because, knowing Sango, she would never allow this situation to be repeated if she had a say in the matter.

The blackish sky soon revealed an approaching form, something too large to be a bird and its prey, and Kagome holstered her bow just in case something would be out of the ordinary. Sure enough, soon, the gleam of the pink reflection of Sango's armour became visible.

As for Sango herself, she was conscious throughout the entire journey and distinctly uncomfortable. Not that this way of travelling was inconvenient in a way, but if was hardly her idea of the perfect transportation – behind grasped tightly by a powerful youkai that was her enemy, her feet dangling thousands of feet above the ground. Fortunately, she wasn't nauseous. If she had been, she would have passed out already long ago. As things were, she was still glad to see them approach the ground again, though she felt a slight fear when she saw Kagome down there, alone, though armed, and apparently ready to trade the jewel for her friend's life.

In that moment, she cursed her own clumsiness at getting captured, but fortunately had spent her time in the youkai village more productively than a usual captive would have. Plotting a means of escape, but an effective one. Her weapons had been lost or confiscated, but fortunately, one hadn't been discovered – the hidden blade that was almost literally up her sleeve. There had not been a chance to use it in the village, as she didn't know the way back, but now that she knew exactly where they were and the ground was near enough, she decided that it was time to use it. However, she chose to wait a bit, hopefully giving Kagome a signal that she could handle the situation on her own and notify her when shooting would be a good idea.

"A touching gesture, Kagome-sama." The thus far unsuspecting Kuronue noted upon checking that the priestess was actually alone. That he hadn't picked out Kirara from the general demonic aura surrounding them was hardly his fault, because Kagome was truly the dominant oddity in the environment at the moment. "I see you have what we want; you can see that the taijiya is unharmed. Now, let us proceed with the friendly exchange."

At that precise moment, several youkai stepped out of the shadows, cutting off Kagome from almost every direction. They made no hostile move yet, but it was clear that a double-cross was currently being put into action. Sango had been afraid of that, because she for one didn't trust the thieves, even if they used an honorific after her name. Demons were still demons to her.

Kagome swept the group with her eyes, meanwhile sizing them up with her powers. They seemed to be slightly more powerful than those that had attacked them yesterday, but, truly, these were thieves, not trained warriors. They could fight, certainly, but they could be bested as well.

"What part of the word _friendly _does your dictionary define as _hostile_?" Kagome asked with a hint of anger in her voice. It was clear, then. They were foolish enough to believe that they could kill her and Sango both to avoid pursuit. And while Miroku was strong, even he could be bested when there was no one to watch his back. "You honestly think this will be enough to kill us?"

But Kuronue shook his head slightly. "You've got it all wrong, Kagome-sama. Killing you was never the intention. And keeping your jewel is only a possibility that we might not choose. I have to wonder just how much Koenma will be willing to invest into the rescue of Reikai's greatest treasure and its defender. But we are an open-minded society. The highest bidder always gets the prize."

Finally, for a fleeting moment, the two women's eyes locked. The only way to get out of this was cooperation. Kagome couldn't act without hurting Sango. Sango was weaponless… or so her captors thought.

A second later, as if in a silent understanding, the taijiya raised her arm and sent her hidden talon-like blade into the nearest body part of her captor, this being the arm around her waist. The unexpected attack earned her a satisfying yell of pain and the slayer readily landed on the ground some three meters away from them, springing into action. Kirara jumped in with a burst of flame to aid the slayer, who wasted no time punching the nearest demon that dared advance towards Kagome.

The youkai were all in uproar. If they had believed that they were safe while they held the taijiya, they were now losing concentration and focus. Those who tried to fight were pushed back with a startling precision, courtesy of Sango, who clearly wanted to repay them for her capture. Some fled upon seeing the slow defeat. And the move became almost a full retreat when the first arrow from Kagome's quiver zoomed past them and struck its targeted youkai in the back, effectively purifying his body in a wave of particles.

Sango, in the meantime, deeply regretted that she was forced to rely on her fists only. Hiraikotsu remained safe with Miroku, along with her blade. Poisons weren't satisfying in cases such as this – but at least Kirara was able to fly up and detain the bat youkai before it would be his turn. Just as it seemed that the nekomata could land a hit despite the odds being against the feline, a shout of her name was heard from down bellow. Both demons in the air were momentarily distracted and looked down in time to see another brightly lit arrow soar towards them, its light missing singing skin and fur alike by inches.

In that moment, Kuronue made the decision that, powerful weapon and magical item or not, there had to be a way to obtain it without getting purified in the process. It wasn't precious enough to lose limbs for at the moment. With an uproar of speed, he rose certainly quicker than a mortal eye could detect.

But now, with nothing blocking her path, Kagome fired another arrow, and its speed went underestimated by its target. The second shot proved immeasurably more precise than the first; though it didn't purify its target – which had not been its intent anyway – the gash it left on the demon's side would likely leave a lasting scar. It was a miracle of sheer willpower that he managed to remain airborne. But it would also serve as an effective message to his companions and hopefully keep them away in the near future.

By then, Kagome had taken her eyes off the demons and was running towards the taijiya, who still held a battle stance. "Sango-chan!" she cried to the seemingly uninjured woman. "Are you all right?"

The answer was a nod. "Yes, Kagome-chan. We managed to cooperate, but I don't think letting that Kuronue flee was a good idea."

The priestess glanced up at the nearly black sky, where the form of the youkai was no longer present – she deduced that Sango was referring to that bat demon, their apparent leader and the messenger they had received. Well, she would fill her in on that later. Right now…

"Come on, Sango-chan, Kirara, let's go back."

X X X X X

It was a clear night, which most people didn't appreciate, to their misfortune. However, even if there had been a tempest raging, Youko would have likely remained up, sorting through the items brought in that way and seeing if there was anything overly valuable there.

It was just a pastime, really, because he was surprisingly anxious to see how Kuronue had done with the priestess. It had been his order that he bring the woman along with the jewel, naturally. Truth to be told, he had been a little disappointed with her at first, to succumb to such an easy trick, dirty as it might be. Playing on the emotions of human was surprisingly easy.

How had such a creature lasted in existence for so long? He could muse about that for some time, he thought. He had expected slightly more from the protector of such a thing.

But when there was some uproar outside, he could smell blood, and it wasn't ningen or reigen. Actually, he could not smell any humans at all. Only the strange smell of something he couldn't identify at first and then recognized as… purity.

His own dwelling was within the village, one of the settlements they inhabited when in that particular area of Makai. The stash of their full inventory was in a carefully concealed cave that was guarded day and night by trustworthy beings – namely, his plants, those that had a mind that could be considered sentient. Aside from that great safe, as it were, there were very few things of true value that couldn't be replaced in their camp. Really, as long as they had money, the thieves lacked for nothing.

Everyone moved to make way for him as he approached, whispering to themselves. Apparently, almost all of those present in the settlement that night had gathered to witness what he was to see moments later. The smell of purity didn't radiate from the priestess that was supposed to be brought or from her jewel. In fact, neither was there at all. What radiated the painfully holy energy was the burn those with healing skills were already examining on Kuronue's side.

Kuronue seemed a bit more snake than bat now, with all that hissing, which was morbidly amusing, in a way. But the wound was neither deep nor too serious. Just enough to be irritating, very painful and likely leave a lasting mark. In essence, it translated as "Stay away" in any language. It was a warning shot. In addition, his right arm was covered in drying blood. That explained the scent, at least.

The small crowd was muttering amongst themselves and quieted down when the luminous form of Youko appeared. He didn't even kneel to inspect the wound inflicted upon his comrade, merely looked at it with an almost critical eye. There was no reason to be concerned from his point of view and even less need to show any concern; and, it wasn't his way.

"You will live." the kitsune said finally and took a few steps closer to hear better through the hissing. "But you have failed, I see. What happened there?"

It seemed indeed problematic for the bat youkai to speak, but he did so to the best of his ability. "The taijiya had a hidden knife and surprised me with it when we surrounded the miko. It went really quickly then – the miko had a pet nekomata with her and started shooting." he said, glancing at his wound with bitterness. Perhaps he should have added that the priestess should come weaponless as well. Damn it all to hell now. "Our men were meat on a stick against two human women. Heh," His half-grin at once turned into a painful grimace as more blood rushed out of his first wound. "Damned bitch. Either I want to tear out her insides or I'm starting to like her."

Youko ignored that and ordered the healers to take Kuronue away; he himself walked away from the entire scene without a second thought. Whether this was luck or skill or whatever fate might guide the world, he had to admit – at least to himself – that there was apparently truly more to the three humans than what the thieves had assumed after their primary success. This was that he wanted; a challenge. Something that would prove worthy of his own skill. Goodness only knew that there were few such things these days.

The scene played itself out in front of his mind's eye again and he formed yet another plan of obtaining the Shikon no Tama. He cared nothing for the jewel itself, but he was curious as to whether the priestess could stand up to his expectations, as the slayer had. The taijiya he would leave alone for now. It was time to change strategy.

_I seen to have misjudged a few of the chess pieces._ he thought to himself, his mind filled with the image of the priestess. Though faceless, it was taking shape… and it – she – needed to be taken down. But not too soon.


	4. A lonely journey

Reviews, people, reviews! Getting them would be wonderful, hehe. But I have just rewritten part of this story, because I have inserted a new canon character into it, which I take pride in. really, I thought there would be no way to get that particular person into this story without crushing the plot completely, but I thought a bit a voila! The character is in there, showing up in this chapter, and I bet all of you fans will be able to identify everyone's favorite (hidden word) by the description and the last word of this chapter… if not, then tough luck, but I think you will. Hehehe. Beware the cliffhanger of evilness at the end of the chapter! But I promise that while this will get very twisted in terms of plot, all will work out in the end… Hopefully.

X X X

**A lonely journey**

X X X X X

"Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live for, great enough to die for."

- Dag Hammarskjold

X X X X X

After the passing of several weeks, it seemed that the threat – or warning, depending on what point of view was assumed – Kagome's arrow had provided had worked.

The conclave came and went like a light breeze, as did several weak attacks from low-class youkai that the group disposed of with unsurprising ease. The Three Kings went their separate ways and didn't kill one another – a miracle in itself. Kagome was feeling better, though time and time again, she found herself pondering this Youko Kurama. She had heard stories, but this was going a bit too far. Hiraikotsu was once more slung over the slender shoulder of Sango, who had no problem with the massive weapon and seemed to fight thrice as good as ever, if that was possible, even though both Kagome and Miroku assured her in their own particular ways that it wasn't her fault that she had gotten captured.

"If anything, we are to blame as well, Sango-chan." Kagome said on the way home that night still. "We lowered our guard and you didn't – they took you because you were nearest to them. Don't feel bad about it."

But it was somewhat of an insult to Sango's professional pride, assuming she even had any pride at all; to be captured by youkai. She strove to be stronger and more vigilant from that moment on and proved her skill more than once on the battlefield since then. Of course, when they had arrived at the estate that night, Miroku, who had apparently been pacing from one corner of the room to the other for quite some time, launched himself at the taijiya and, forgetting obviously that Kagome and Kirara were in the room, grabbed her hands in an almost pathetically gallant gesture which he often used when asking random women to bear his child.

"Sango!" he called, his voice very close to a cry of rapture, though it was very difficult to tell whether it was a pure sentiment or mere theatrics. Still, he grasped her hands tightly. "Buddha has heard my prayers and returned you safely to me!" In this case, it was sincere, but the monk was too much of a con man to make it sound that way.

Despite her slight annoyance, a blush found its way to Sango's cheeks, making her armour seem pale in comparison. "D-don't be troubled, houshi-sama; we escaped the trap through cooperation, there is no need to worry any longer."

Kagome, who was watching the entire scene with mild eagerness – ignoring the fact that she was transparent for the moment to the eyes of the pair – moved stealthily away to the nearest chair and sat down, taking care to spy on them with expertise.

This had been going on for quite some time now, the cat and mouse pursuit between the two of them, and Kagome always wondered when one of them would finally realize what was plain as daylight to her – that they were in love. Certainly, she had doubted for a while, especially concerning Miroku's inability to commit himself to a single woman, but, in the end, the romantic soul in her won and she decided in their stead that they were perfect for each other.

Whether they would ever realize it or not was another question.

It was a slightly theatrical motion, but not customary, when the monk pulled Sango into his embrace suddenly, still maintaining what Kagome secretly called his Buddha face – the one he used when employing his seasoned con artist skills on anyone, women included. Inwardly, the priestess hoped that this was not the case.

"If something were to happen to you, I would never forgive myself." Miroku said solemnly, still with the hint of an act, but sincere enough to make Sango's face resemble a beet root in terms of colour.

The last time something like this had happened, Sango had been possessed by a lizard demon egg and they had to fight… needless to say, Miroku really pitied his face that evening, even though Sango had apologized. And if something worse were to happen to Sango…

Romance was at hand, Kagome's mind gleefully squealed, a noise which the priestess couldn't bring herself to make now. Unfortunately, romance remained out of hands reach, at least the kind that was suitable to young viewers and Sango's tastes. Romance ended with a slap and the atmosphere which Kagome knew women valued above all else was ruined. Still, not even the large imprint of Sango's hand on his face seemed to be able to ruin Miroku's bliss this time and Kagome quickly changed the topic to the imprisonment itself before it could get any worse, if that was humanly possible.

Sango cooled down at the mention of it and retold, somewhat grudgingly still, what had happened after their separation. All in all, the full day she had spent in the settlement of the thieves had not been offensive in any way, merely not pleasant enough an experience to be remembered with anything but anger. She described Youko Kurama the best she could, putting information from her and her companions together with rumours and what she knew after they told her what the demons had said before they died.

"_Please, have a seat." Her captor offered her the next day at about noon, when she was informed that her presence was requested. She had hardly expected any lavish chamber, and her expectations of the dwelling had not been exceeded, but she had also not anticipated the neat order all around her and the simple furnishings with little to indicate that she was dealing with anyone directed by greed._

"_I imagine I would be a poor host to you if I would deny you the opportunity to at least threaten me properly." the kitsune continued after she sat down with a frown on her face, clearly not trusting one word that came from him. "I would also like to have a proper conversation with you regarding your companion, the priestess. You can surely understand that I am somewhat interested in her."_

At the mention of this, even Miroku began paying attention. "You didn't reveal anything that could endanger Kagome-sama, surely?" he asked carefully.

The taijiya shook her head fervently. "He didn't ask that, actually. I was surprised; I expected questions about the nature of Kagome-chan's powers, but he didn't seem at all interested in that. Perhaps he knows enough – he was intelligent for a demon. That could mean trouble for us."

_Sango kept her expression wary. The fox demon didn't sit down himself, merely continued his observations of her, as if he wanted to read everything he needed to know from her expression. _

"_I will not help you." she said flatly, with her best attempt at giving him the evil eye. "I have not the slightest reasons to tell you anything about Kagome-chan."_

_It was a startling thing, to see a brief smile cross the demon's face. It somehow managed to avoid his eyes entirely. And they said that gold was a warm colour. _

_"No, you do not. But I also have not the slightest reason to keep my promises. How long have you and Kagome-san been companions?" The name came out very strangely from his mouth, and not at all unpleasantly. Like an exotic word from an unfamiliar language. It simply seemed… different than Sango had ever heard it pronounced.._

"_Why would you want to know that?" the taijiya asked, genuinely puzzled by the question. There seemed no point to it, at least not when she looked from the thief's point of view. _Who in the world are you? _An inner voice in her asked, but she refrained from voicing that out loud. He was so… civilized. Courteous… cordial, even. If it weren't for the strange colour of his eyes and hair (and perhaps the ears and tail, too), Sango would never have believed she was speaking with a demon. _

What in the Three Realms are you?

_Her father always said that the demons masquerading in human form were the most dangerous ones._

_But she received an answer. "I am curious." The kitsune noted in a softer voice. "And I would like to know who I have the honour of dealing with prior to encountering them."_

Know your enemy… _Sango couldn't hold back the question any longer. "Just who are you?" she demanded. Her wonder at a demon had a slightly aggressive way of displaying itself, but she knew no other way. Her mind searched for any possible guesses she might make – she was certain she had heard about this demon somewhere, though she couldn't place the face to a name. _

_The smile she received was almost demure, as if to say that he was both flattered by the interest and saddened by the fact that she hadn't yet heard of him. "I am known as Youko Kurama. You might have heard of me as the King of Thieves in Makai. Or perhaps your Reikai princeling considers such things rumours only." It turned into a barely contained sneer, the nearly kind expression, but then again, no emotion had surfaced on his face. "Kurama will do, Sango-san."_

A beeping sound from Kagome's robes broke their train of thought and the priestess hurriedly extracted the communication mirror. Perhaps they would finally get some good news – none of them was very pleased with the development of the situation at the present moment. To the relief of the trio, they were right this time. A familiar black-haired woman appeared on the other side, surrounded by many books and papers.

"We copy, Ayame-san. Have you finished with the sorting of the information?" Kagome asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid my news won't please you much." Ayame said with a nod instead of an answer. "Being a legend now in Makai, Youko Kurama has one of the largest files available for viewing here and certainly one of the most tainted ones. There are rumours about sightings all over the place, exaggerated descriptions and missing data. From what I was able to gather, here's what could be of help to you. It isn't much, I'm afraid."

And if they hoped Ayame was understating, they were wrong. They had gotten a physical description from Sango, which was a major plus, but adding to that the fact that fox demons were experts on disguise and trickery, it amounted to less than it would otherwise. All that they could discern, really, was that he was an expert on locks and puzzles and possessed an uncanny cool intellect that had allowed him to survive far longer than most demons in his place would have.

Now, several weeks later, back in Reikai, Kagome was the only one of them who still dwelled on the matter. She sincerely hoped that her arrow had succeeded in at least giving a warning to the daring thief to back off from his foolish mission. What was more, she pondered the words of Kuronue.

_Keeping the jewel is a possibility we might decide against… _

Youko Kurama was known for a love of puzzles. The more she thought about it, the more convincing her theory appeared to her: that the kitsune wanted to steal the jewel only to prove that he alone could do it. She saw and didn't appreciate the coldness with which he was willing to sacrifice his own men. That could have even been only a test to see if the pursuit of the jewel was actually worth his time. It made Kagome sad and a bit angry as well.

She had always been too fiery for her own good when someone dared underestimate her, but she had hoped that her long training had managed to tame such sentiments and impulses. Clearly, she was a bit wrong.

"Kagome-chan?"

The priestess turned to the door to see Sango standing there. When in Reikai, they weren't required to wear their usual travelling clothes and were actually offered a fine supply of more casual clothing, even such as they were told the current fashion in Ningenkai was. Nevertheless, each of them preferred the clothing they were used to, though it hadn't gone out of fashion in the human world entirely. Sango, for instance, was missing her primary weapon now and her armour had been replaced by a simple pink and green yukata.

Kagome glanced at the nearest clock, a look of alarm appearing quickly on her face. "It's that time already?" she jumped up from her chair, her train of thought entirely forgotten for the moment.

They were supposed to meet Koenma personally that day, as it appeared something big had to be taken care of. And if there was anything the toddler lord was known for, it was screaming his lungs out at people who weren't there at his beck and call on time. Despite her importance, Kagome was no exception, though she often thought that the form the miniature god assumed at most times was very fitting.

The office of the Lord of Reikai had not changed in almost any way throughout the centuries, although it seemed that there was even more paperwork than ever there. His ogre assistant, whom Kagome had learned to address politely, tried to convince him to stamp another stack of papers before being chased away at the threat of spankings, which was considered a very severe punishment here in the offices.

As Miroku was already waiting and Koenma managed to kick out – semi-literally – any unwanted eyes and ears from the room, the Reikai lord cleared his throat importantly after he was given the respectful greetings from all three of his agents.

"I have called you here because we currently have several situations of crucial importance that need dealing with." he began, a little pompously, but each word was clearly to be taken seriously. "The first is perhaps more important. It has come to our general attention that a group of four criminals have attempted to break into the Ningenkai. They are being pursued as we speak, but our forces need encouragement and a major kick in their backsides to get them running. Sango and Miroku, you will be dispatched to the breach in our forces and take the lead of the attack. I want them captured. Use whatever methods necessary." Koenma added, floating up to Miroku's height and giving him a pointed glance. "Now get going!"

"What about me?" Kagome inquired as the other two, recognizing the dangerous half-panicky, half-commanding undertone in the toddler lord's voice, refrained from questioning this and made their exit with a curt nod.

It seemed for a moment that Koenma was ignoring her, because he took his usual place behind his table and began tossing away some papers and searching for something she assumed was the remote.

"I have a special case on which I want you, personally, Kagome." he began, still not looking at the priestess while triumphantly fishing out a paper. "I want you to deal with this before going after the four beasts as well, because I know you'll handle this best." Koenma said, giving her a pointed glance that dared her to say that he was wrong.

Mentally, Kagome gave a nervous little laugh, but outwardly, she appeared composed. "What is the mission?"

"We have been recently receiving reports of attacks of a particular demon in various parts of Makai. It wouldn't be anything non-standard, if it wasn't for the ferocity of the attacks and the seeming randomness of targets. No demands are made, no threats – what witnesses have survived seemed to claim that the youkai in question is in possession of a powerful demonic artefact which can be very destructive in the wrong hands; namely, his. A weapon of some kind… I think it was a sword." Koenma glanced at the paper he was holding, which was apparently the file of the demon. "Yes, a sword. No idea what it looks like or what powers it has, but it obliterated a flock of attacking demons with one swipe. Oh, well." The prince tossed the paper behind his back. "You'll deal with that smoothly, I'm sure."

The lack of details about the mission was somewhat disturbing, but Kagome took note to look for insanity and a sword, probably a large one, if it was to be noticed. "Do you have a particular location for me to look at?"

"Yes." Koenma gave her the particular coordinates of the last attack. "The demon travels quickly, but he appears to move on foot. He should still be in the nearby area and will very likely be drawn to your powers and the jewel. Find him, subdue him and bring that sword back, if at all possible."

"Subdue him?" the priestess asked, just to assure herself she had gotten the correct meaning of the word.

Koenma's eyes narrowed briefly. "Yes, subdue him. Knock him out, seal him, purify him, kill him – I don't give a damn! Just stop him from killing anything and everything that strikes his fancy!"

Kagome almost cringed a bit at the change of his tone, as if she was the child in the room. When the pacifier started jumping up and down because of the toddler lord's yelling, it was always a bad sign. Outside, she discovered that Sango and Miroku had already gone, which saddened her a bit. And instead of anyone she knew, an unfamiliar but generally friendly-looking ferry girl with the most peculiar sky blue hair was waiting for her and produced a wide smile upon seeing her.

"You must be Kagome-sama. I have heard very much about you already. My name is Botan, I'm new here." She was dressed in a very girlish colour that Kagome would one day learn to identify as bubblegum pink, and the kimono didn't necessarily go too well with her hair, though it generally suited her amethyst-coloured eyes. "Well, somewhat new." Botan amended with a short but sincere laugh. "I got promoted and I'll be your general link to Reikai now that I'm considered reliable. Ayame-san got very busy with the archives and general paperwork, so I'm her replacement."

The priestess saw that they were likely to get along very well, though Botan seemed slightly nervous still. "Congratulations then, Botan-san, but you don't have to defer to me. If we're a team now, we're equal in status."

It seemed to ease the ferry girl's mood somewhat, though Kagome couldn't really tell. Botan seemed to cover any nervousness or unease with a bubbly personality, which worked exceptionally well. once they left the offices, the blue-haired girl – Kagome couldn't really find a proper term to describe Botan through her hair colour with one word, such as one would do with a blonde or a brunette – had an oar materialize in her hand, much like the one Ayame had used the first time she had brought Kagome to the spirit world. In general, ferry girls were not needed to help her and the others with transportation to Reikai or Makai ever since they had Kirara, but now that they had been separated, it was likely necessary.

"I should ask Koenma for one of those myself." Kagome said after they took off, with Botan steadily but speedily guiding the oar through the air. She seemed to be enjoying herself when flying and didn't mind the passenger's presence at all, even if it was a figure of importance.

Botan blushed a bit at the thinly veiled compliment, but didn't glance back. At first, she had not been so confident about the job of a guide across the river Styx – but once they threw the oar and the ability to fly into the deal, she had accepted. Now, some years later, she had finally risen in rank somewhat and was hoping to be head ferry girl one day, though that was still a long way in the future, at least in her opinion. But she had all the time in the world now. Being a reigen had its perks.

"I heard you've been having some trouble with thieves recently, demons wanting to steal the sacred jewel." The ferry girl noted conversationally as they soared through the skies.

She would have to remember to make a few twirls on her oar later. That would be fun. At the moment, her passenger was her priority – she could imagine the scene of Koenma screaming his lungs out at her if she came back with the soul of the priestess and the need for a new body for her because she, a relative novice, had wanted to show her a few flying tricks.

Kagome nodded, finding it easy to talk to someone in a positive mood. "Yes, but we will be able to handle it well. If they choose to make another attempt to seize the jewel, we will be prepared for it."

"Makai can be frightening at times." Botan noted. "I don't go there often unless Koenma-sama makes me. The demons are often bloodthirsty and violent and I'm not really that much into fighting."

"At least you can fly away when you need to. Are those oars specific to ferry girls only?"

"I think so, but I can ask if Koenma-sama could make an exception for you on solitary missions. I heard that you can get to Reikai no problem otherwise."

"Yes, but now Sango-chan and Miroku-sama needed to take Kirara. She's a nekomata that is able to fly, a tamed demon, if you will, though she is more of a friend and companion to us. Thanks to her abilities, she is useful both in combat and for transportation. We'd be in for some hard times without her."

"Really? Could you tell me about some of your battles? I've never heard a first-hand account of such things… it must be dangerous."

It was actually quite easy to talk to Botan – easier, perhaps, than to talk to Sango and Miroku, who were both also burdened by their duties in Reikai and Makai. And none of them had been in the Ningenkai for many years. It was refreshing to hear about the human world from someone who visited it, unfortunately, often. Being a shinigami was sometimes sad, Botan told her, but it was rewarding work, in the end.

They finally reached their destination and Kagome hopped to the ground from the oar while Botan steadied it.

"I have a link to your communication mirror, so you should be able to contact me when you're done here." the ferry girl said cheerfully. "Just… well, be careful. I heard that you're very powerful, Kagome-san, but waltzing into the Makai alone is dangerous in any case."

Kagome smiled. "I'll take care, Botan-san, don't worry. I'll remain in this area in case you need to find me. I should be done with this within the hour."

"All right!" Botan smiled. "Take care!" she said and took off into the skies, waving to the priestess before vanishing from sight.

The plains of Makai were as desolate as ever, and Kagome felt whirlwinds of youki from a distance, though it wasn't too close. In a way, she had no need for pursuit – her target would come to her, eventually. Instead of going through the trouble of searching, she employed a method that had sprung up in the mind of Miroku and which the two of them employed whenever possible or needed. Of course, it would have been somewhat more effective if there were two of them, but the monk had, aside from a great power, also a certain impurity in him, which hindered the complete effect slightly.

Kagome sat down in the middle of a meadow, with no creature within sight at the moment, as peacefully as she would have done in the living world. Clasping her hands together in her lap, she relaxed completely and projected her own energy into the darkness surrounding her. The result was a small bubble around her body, a holy barrier, the purpose of which was both repelling and attracting. In Makai, it was as subtle as dropping a pineapple into a basket of cherries.

The effect was immediate; the surroundings began to feel very disturbed, almost troubled, and small demons that were too low on the food chain to be considered sentient were coming out of their hiding spots to take a short peek at what was going on. One or two approached the barrier and tried to penetrate it, but when the others saw the major burn mark it left on the few brave volunteers, they chose to leave on their own accord.

On and on Kagome meditated, and the area around her became demon-free after some minutes, as if the residents of the plains had taken temporary or permanent leave, due to the sudden surge of holy power around them. She searched for an unfamiliar and hostile aura with the tinge of instability or insanity that would be more extreme in the particular demon she sought, reaching out with her meditative powers. Perhaps it was minutes, perhaps it took hours, but the demon finally arrived.

His presence in the energy surrounding her was very different from the others, but also from what the priestess had expected. True, there was something bordering on instability or perhaps insanity there, but it didn't stray behind the line it maintained, the line between sane and insane. There was a pattern to the instability, along with the great sadness outmatched only by blind anger that was also present. The demon sensed that he was being observed and consciously showed the skill to seal his thoughts from her current reach.

The priestess opened her eyes slowly to survey the steps filled with caution that approached her and observed the demon just as he stopped several meters in front of her, deceptively human-looking in most ways.

The difference was that his hands and feet, both bare, had sharp claws; his hair, longer and straighter than that of Kagome, was completely white. His face, though human-shaped, was marked with magenta stripes on either cheek. His eyes were a most unnatural colour, the whites being a fiery shade of red. The general menacing effect was great and marred only by one small detail – or rather, two.

Two triangle-shaped, fur-covered and overall nothing if not cute ears crowning his head. Kagome's fingers twitched briefly, causing the barrier to flicker the slightest bit.

It seemed the demon needed no further encouragement. With a low growl, he began to hack and claw at the barrier with a strong attack of his bare hands that actually caused Kagome to redouble her efforts. She rather hoped that the barrier would knock him out on its own if she centred her energy in it, but she was sadly mistaken. The demon reeled back in pain but didn't let out a howl that would have matched his canine nature.

Instead, he gave it another try, just to see if something had changed, to no effect. But the priestess felt the impact and saw that she had somewhat underestimated the strength of the youkai. He was in a state of frenzy but even so managed to create a strategy – and with his bloodied hands, he struck another blow in the barrier that Kagome deflected.

What in the world was going on? Who was this demon… he felt no pain, though blood was dripping from his hands; he felt no fear even as he drove again and again into the barrier. Perhaps he truly was crazed.

How deeply wrong Kagome was. Seeing that claws weren't the way to go, the demon reached out for what the priestess hadn't yet noticed or paid too much attention to – there was actually a sword hanging from his belt. But it seemed a rusted old trinket; certainly no legendary demonic weapon with powers unknown. She had been so focused on assessing his own youki that that of the sword went unnoticed by her… and she finally discovered that it had been a mistake she might not live to regret.

With a ferocious roar, the demon lifted the rusty sword, which seemed to recognize the call of its master and transformed at his beck and call. From the hilt to the tip of it, a golden flash of light passed, transforming the aged katana into the wide and sharp blade of a sword that was vaguely fang-shaped.

The priestess felt her eyes widen under the curtain of black hair that obscured them from the demon's view. The sword was pulsing with energy in the youkai's hands and slowly took on a reddish tinge that matched its wielder's eyes. The demon raised it and Kagome shut her eyes tight in concentration. Despite the barrier, she felt a strange thing… fear, was it? But the barrier she formed couldn't be broken so easily. Not by one hit of a sword.

How wrong she was again.

Her body, while not that of a mortal anymore, could feel pain as much as a human could. Even through her closed eyes she saw the flash of light as the reddish energy of the blade collided with her violet-coloured barrier and struggled only for a second. Then there was something sharp piercing her skin, the fabric of her haori, and her shoulder began to bleed.

Kagome was thrown back by the impact of the sword – fortunately, or else she would have been missing an arm at the current moment.

She attempted to scramble to her feet and equip her bow, but it got knocked out of her shaking hand and sliced in two by one sound strike of the sword. Her arrows were useless now and the hit caused her to misplace her equilibrium again and fall flat on her back.

She never got another chance to attempt to get up, as the demon immediately gripped her by the throat and raised her head, in a clear attempt to crush her spine. Hair swept down from her face and she got a closer glimpse of the crazed demon's face than she would have wanted.

In a rare moment of fear, Kagome thought that it was the end if she couldn't get proper hold of him and send some of her power into his body, which was a draining technique for her. But then, the fierce expression on the demon's face changed rapidly. Anger turned into comprehension of something she couldn't see and the blood red orbs were filled with great disbelief and something akin to… hope? In any case, they were fixed on her countenance and taking in every detail of her features, almost as if she were to transform into someone else at any moment.

In a flash, she almost screamed as the demon literally launched himself at her, crushing her in an embrace that lifted her upper body from the ground. Clawed hands dug into the fabric of her haori, but didn't scratch her skin. She then felt something wet through the fabric on her shoulder where the demon's head was rested, almost like a lost puppy.

Kagome didn't dare breathe. There was possessiveness in the whole gesture, but something in it also meant…meant…

_Don't leave me…_

And then, quite close to her ear, she heard a coherent voice that was very different from the gruff roars of minutes past, forming a word that seemed to be caressed with fear, love and longing at the same time.

"Kikyo…"

X X X

_AN: _Dun dun dun! And yes, I know all of you are aware of who that is. I just wanted to give you a final hint. It took me ages to discover how to insert you-know-who into this story and, in the end, I decided that this was the best way. Incidentally, the sword is present, yes, but its sealing powers have weakened because… well, once you know the back-story, you'll understand everything. But… not yet! Hehe. Anyway, feel free to review now!


	5. Embraces

Enter a few more players. But I would really appreciate some more reviews. I want to finish this story, because the plot and the characters are a great challenge, especially the combinations, but if I get too few reviews, I might go back to updating my other story, the PotO one. I might scrap Ad Infinitum eventually, because I really don't know where to go with that one at the moment. This story is entirely planned out… what depends is when the chapters will be typed, finalized and posted. So, review? Please? Anyway, the quick updates will certainly not last too long...

X X X

**Embraces**

X X X X X

"Observe the art of seduction. Watch, learn, and don't eat my cookie."

- Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Friends

X X X X X

Finding the opportune moment when his prey would venture out into the Makai alone had taken a bit of time, but Youko certainly didn't regret the wait.

He himself had heard the rumours of a crazed demon roaming the lands with a powerful weapon and thus had purposely moved camp slightly closer to the location of the last attack. It was only a matter of time before Koenma would have to send someone to deal with the demon. And as several weaker agents had already failed – he had watched that from a safe distance, shaking his head slightly at the artless slaughter the demon excelled in – there were limited people the prince could send, especially if he wanted to secure the sword.

But to send the priestess alone… Youko hadn't hoped for that kind of luck, but, evidently, fortune was on his side, as always.

He could sense her presence and that of the jewel for miles away, as she didn't bother conceal it and then, when she had began purposely leaking it for the demon to locate, he took up a safe spot atop a tree to watch the events unfold. At first, the woman appeared deceptively young, especially for one who wasn't a demon, but apart from the touch of a human, there was a strong amount of a reigen scent in her aura, which explained that first illusion.

Of course the demon came, likely wondering what the strange vibrations in the air were. And naturally, he attempted to destroy what he didn't understand. But when the barrier broke easily at the first strike of the sword, a frown crossed Youko's face. Either the priestess was very weak or the sword's power to break holy barriers very strong. For now, he assumed the latter, but waited for the events to play out. After all, as the whole area was now filled with the youki of the assaulting demon and the purity of the priestess, with a little effort on his part, they were bound to ignore his presence for the time being.

He considered stepping into the situation when the priestess was pinned to the ground, as it would serve his purpose. After all, voyeurism was hardly his strong suit. And then what seemed to be the preparations for a final blow turned into something that resembled a crushing embrace with no intention to harm all-too-closely. That had not been part of the plan, for certain.

But fear began resonating from the priestess, who had had her weapon broken and was being held in a death grip by an enemy and a demon at that. Youko had trouble discerning what exactly the demon's intention was. He didn't seem cunning enough to attempt to fool the priestess into trusting him and after that display of waving a overgrown butter-knife around, he sincerely doubted that the priestess would have been gullible enough to believe any such things.

In the end, it didn't matter what the youkai was trying to do. Actually, it served the kitsune's purpose perfectly, this kind of situation.

Without as much as an unnecessary move, he silently ordered his first plant weapon to attack the demon. It was nothing extravagant enough to frighten the priestess too much but not anything ineffective against the assessed power of the demon she was struggling against. At first, vines slithered across the ground towards the tragic little scene and wrapped themselves around the offending demon's neck and limbs, only slightly touching the priestess, who quickly stumbled back.

Youko gave a small wry smile when the craze returned into the demon's aura and he began fruitlessly struggling against the iron grip of the plants. It was useless, as his strength didn't outmatch that of the plant, specially bred for such cases, and his weapons were out of reach – the sword had crashed against the ground with a thud, turning back into a rusty old katana.

Not too far away, Kagome watched all with awe and fear. A moment ago, she had actually briefly believed she was going to die… again. But then, the demon had spoken that word she hadn't understood at first. A bellflower?

But then she added the embrace to the equation and got another idea. Perhaps he was mistaking her with someone. After all, her face was entirely average, in her own opinion. But she waited for the dreadful moment when his keen canine sense – for she had gathered that she was dealing with a dog demon – would pick up the differences in her scent and that of this Kikyo person, whoever she was.

The demon had only continued to whisper that name and hold her tightly before the sudden tug separated them and Kagome saw, with wonder, that the youkai had been lifted off the ground by the force of several very thick vines against which he was struggling. Again, he seemed to have forgotten everything, even Kikyo.

Kagome tried to stand up and, against her common sense, help him, but couldn't just yet. This could only be the work of another demon, her tired mind reminded her, and her weapon was broken. But was she being… saved? Or was this just some coincidence?

The vines dragged the demon away and he vanished from sight before Kagome could find the strength to help him or find out why she had been freed from the situation.

She stood up carefully, feeling the wound on her shoulder more than ever. Her bow had been snapped neatly in two, so she left it where it was. And then, she spotted the sword the demon had had, rusty again, lying harmlessly in the ground. She picked it up with curiosity, silently willing it to transform. No luck. Again, she tried, inserting her own energy into it briefly, to no avail. The sword stubbornly decided to remain a rusty piece of junk in her hands.

"Demonic blades react only to youki." a soft voice said, very close behind her.

Kagome almost cringed, as she had not even sensed anyone approaching. But slowly, she sensed whirlpools of youki circling her, no small amount of them, and she put two and two together. She had been saved by a demon and now it was likely payback time. A slight snap was heard behind her, like two pieces of wood being parted sharply.

"Your bow is repaired, but you are injured. I can heal your wounds, if you wish."

She turned around to face the source of the voice… and almost fainted, as her nerves were put through a great trial.

The demons she had faced throughout the years, the dangers she had escaped, everything, seemed miniature and insignificant in comparison to this assault on her willpower. For, indeed, despite her age-long training as a priestess, she was also a girl still, at least at heart. And facing her was what to a girl might appear as the greatest surprise of them all – a pleasant one. It seemed that she had walked into the daydream of a thirteen year old girl, but something assured her that if that were true, the world of Makai would seem a lot brighter at the moment.

No – the light, as it were, was centred only in the creature before her.

It was a man, a head or so taller than her, no more than five years older than her… in appearance. His very straight black hair reached his waist almost and his eyes shone, literally, with a pale golden light, the only indication that he was not human as he could appear. But even the demonic eyes were almond-shaped and appealing.

His face clearly wasn't that of a human man, as it was too beautiful and yet masculine to be a random creation of nature. There was a soft smile playing on the corners of his smooth lips and his simple clothing made him appear the embodiment of elegance. In her mortal life, she would have immediately assumed she had come across a resident kami-sama without even trying.

Nowadays, she was more suspicious.

With a gesture almost bordering on deference, he handed her the bow she had discarded, once more in one piece and more perfect than it had ever been, and he didn't miss the opportunity to touch her hand with an almost feathery contact when she took her weapon back. Aside from that, he seemed singularly unfazed by her barely concealed stare, as if he had expected no less but still was flattered. Yet there was something deeply strange about the demon, how utterly peaceful and in contrast to his surroundings he appeared and how differently she viewed him.

The priestess in Kagome was alarmed by this perfect illusion. Too perfect, too close, too… improbable? She couldn't understand her own mixed feelings: part of her wanted to believe in the apparition and part of her wished him gone. That he made no move to conceal his demonic eyes or his youki was perhaps a sign of honesty or that of a trick. And if he asked her not to fear him, she would likely shoot him just because she knew when such words were used.

"Halt your arrow, miko-sama; I mean you no harm." Try as she might to find it, there was no lie in those words; and she had to force herself to try. The demon's voice possessed a beauty of its own, a velvet timbre and a calm intelligence that seemed unparalleled at the moment. Not even Miroku could rival it in soothing others. "You appeared to be lost and in danger. I thought I could be of assistance to you."

Kagome's hand gripped her bow nevertheless. So it really had been this demon that had saved her. And if he could fend off the demon she had struggled with so easily, it was not the time to lower her guard. This was too charming not to be a trap.

"Youkai usually only wish to help themselves to the sacred jewel." she said warily, though she was utterly conscious of the heat rising to her cheeks. Demon or not, thief or not, neither faith nor her own customs helped her deny that even she felt attracted to him; she, who sought beauty in wholly different things.

"Ah, so you are the renowned miko-sama who guards the fabled jewel? And what good would your jewel be to me?" The demon gave a chuckle of amusement that unwillingly gave Kagome the shivers. "I have my fields, my plants; those are enough for me, miko-sama. I strive for little more."

Judging by the general nature of demons, the priestess was slightly sceptical. But the truth was that she wanted to believe that there was yet good. That even among demons, there could be those that, while enjoying bloodshed or whatever it was that demons liked about slaughter, could be cultivated if not peaceful. She caught another whiff of that flowery scent that seemed to engulf them and realized that she could believe that.

"Who are you?" she asked delicately, her will to fire at the man vanishing slowly. In a way, she wanted to hear more.

The youkai came closer and outstretched his hand towards her, palm wide open. At first, the priestess believed that he was beckoning her, to which she would not consent now, but a moment later, a plant sprouted from unseen seeds and began to blossom in his very palm. It seemed very foreign at first and then, after staring at it for seconds, Kagome realized that it was one of the flowers from Ningenkai which she had liked prior to her initial death. How it had come to find itself in Makai she had no idea, but she instinctively drew closer to it, to a memento of her previous existence.

The question forgotten, she approached, and seemed not to have a care in the world any longer. The flowers, for all their beauty, had another purpose, which was also starting to take effect. While another kind of these blossoms had served to take consciousness from the taijiya, the flowers surrounding them had an effect akin to that of a drug, only less harmful to the body. The priestess didn't yet realize it, but her subconscious self was fighting the aphrodisiac. She was stronger than she appeared.

At first glance, she had appeared a frail mortal woman that might have been crushed by a single precise strike. He had been given little time to pursue her, but right now, he was being given a very precise look at her from up close, as she was on the verge of surrendering to the flowers.

Her eyes, unnaturally coloured for those of a human, gave her an almost demonic look, but never had demonic meant peaceful before. The colour of her haori almost matched that of her pale skin and her long black hair had an almost metallic blue glint to it in the direct sunlight. She had a face that matched her delicate physique, which, though not spectacularly beautiful, was entirely appealing in its simple girlish prettiness, especially now that her inner innocence was surfacing, partially due to the aphrodisiac that he himself was immune to. Certainly had never a creature looked upon him with such utter trust and likely never would for much longer.

"A friend, miko-sama…"

The sword she had retrieved fell from her hand, along with the repaired bow as she landed in his arms. It seemed that the battle had been won; dirtily, but still won. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her waist and prepared to carry her off – that is, before a harsh blow of what seemed to be claws collided with his back.

Letting go of Kagome, Youko whirled around somewhat angrily to see the demon he had taken care of moments previously with the vines attack him with his claws again. The kitsune avoided the hit easily, but surveyed the cut on his back with annoyance. Those plants should have been enough to deal with the demon. But then, he saw that his opponent's eyes seemed to be clearing up from their frenzy upon spotting the priestess. He made a quick move towards her to which Youko reacted at once with a lash of the whip that appeared in his hand almost out of nowhere. The demon was struck on the torso, but didn't seem to care the slightest as he caught the priestess, who stumbled attack, the effect of the flowers broken by the scent of blood.

"Kikyo, are you all right?"

So, the demon was not as crazed as was rumoured, Youko mused, but he didn't understand why he called the priestess Kikyo. The slayer had said that her name was Kagome and there had been no reason for her to lie on that account.

The priestess herself reacted to the name with a twinge of fear and withdrew, but not with haste. Inwardly, Youko sighed with a bit of frustration. Three more seconds and he would have succeeded. She had been on the verge of infatuation a minute ago. Now, she was raising her bow against him. Typical female, but the problem was that now, he couldn't carry her off with relative ease, which had been the plan.

"Who are you?" the priestess demanded, the bow shaking ever so slightly in her grip. Her face was resolute, her eyes narrowed, and clearly, she didn't appreciate his magic as much as she should have for having her weapon repaired free of charge. Mostly. "Answer me, youkai!"

The demon gave a wry smile that bordered on a smirk and allowed his mask to drop. In front of Kagome, black hair changed into silvery white in a smooth metamorphosis and the human-like ears vanished, reappearing as ears similar to the dog demon, but larger and, the priestess inwardly realized, twice as adorable despite the fact that their… well, owner was a clear enemy now. For a moment, she wondered where she had seen such ears aside from the dog demon that had saved her from something very wicked before remembering what Sango had said about flowers during her capture.

Flowers…

"Youko Kurama, right?" Kagome asked, her grip on the bow tightening. It was a clear fox demon, that much was certain when she spotted the tail and the strange organic-like whip he held in his hands.

Youko raised an eyebrow briefly, but a very fox-like smile revealed sharp teeth in a flash of white, which seemed to be his signature colour. "I see your taijiya friend has mentioned me, Kagome-sama. How delightful for us to meet face to face, wouldn't you agree?"

It was one last shot at the power of the flowers, but the priestess was resisting adamantly now, to the kitsune's slight annoyance. Well, it was worth a try.

The priestess didn't answer. Instead, she fired her arrow, which, to her utter astonishment, was knocked aside by a whip with thorns like those of a rose, and Kagome could have sworn she had seen one of those in the hands of the kitsune seconds previously. A few of its thorns were burned away of the light, which, in turn, surprised Youko, but plants could regenerate – unless she destroyed the whole whip, he could restore it through his power. He gave it another lash, aiming to knock the weapon out of Kagome's hands or break it again.

What was unexpected was that the dog demon stepped in front of the priestess, shocking both others. His eyes were still red, but even Kagome could now make out gleaming golden irises, a wholly different colour than that of the kitsune, surprisingly, and the sword in his hands transformed into the great fang-like sword. He was moving to defend the priestess, Youko realized with a bit of amusement.

"Kikyo, get to safety." His voice was low and guttural, like a growl, but entirely coherent and protective. "I'll deal with this guy."

Kagome stared, unsure whether she was dreaming or if this was a trap or… she wasn't certain what was really going on. But she was injured and had trouble aiming the bow well. Besides, the kitsune's power began to grow more obvious to her by the minute. If she stayed and the dog demon lost, she was finished. And so, to her own surprise, she nodded and thanked the dog demon before running as fast as possible in the opposite direction, already snapping her communicator open and calling Botan to pick her up.

Youko's vines sent to catch her were cut in half by the dog demon, who turned his attention fully to the kitsune, with a rather fierce expression. "Don't you dare hurt Kikyo, you bastard! I'm your opponent!"

The fox demon was slightly surprised with this turn of events. His opponent, as the inu youkai had dubbed himself, was clearly suffering from some delusions or hallucinations. Youko had gathered that whoever Kikyo was, she was dead and the youkai was mad with grief. It was likely that the woman had been his mate and the priestess merely resembled her. As his senses were out of his control, it was easy to see why he couldn't spot the differences between them.

Youko gave an almost indulgent smile after the growl he received.

"Sir, the first move is yours." he noted softly, with only a hint of mockery dancing in his eyes.

X X X X X

"WHAT?!"

The answer Kagome received from Koenma when she retold her story to the Reikai prince was expected, but still not entirely pleasing. Botan was with her, still tending to her injuries and hiding behind her when the toddler lord floated up to the priestess in anger.

"I want you to investigate this dog demon you encountered and that Kikyo he mentioned! There's gotta be some report on that in the archives, we have every transfer of a demon to Makai listed and whoever that Kikyo is she has to be human if he mistook you for her!" Botan was wondering just when the pacifier would shoot out of the prince's mouth – she had never seen him _this_ angry.

How could Kagome only nod and walk away resolutely?

"Kagome-san, how will we find anything about this Kikyo?" Botan raced after Kagome, who was heading straight to the archives. Sango and Miroku would be fine on their own, but this was a matter that needed investigation at once. There was no telling what might happen.

"We'll have to search the computer databases and than look up the name manually." Kagome said, still not turning to her new assistant. "The first thing I want to see if Kikyo wasn't some sort of priestess like me." It was too much of an oddity that the dog demon would have overlooked her holy powers… she wondered if there wasn't some sort of connection. After all, it was clear upon first glance that she herself wasn't a youkai.

The archives were massive, containing information from all corners of the three worlds and likely more knowledge than a person could absorb in ten lifetimes. There never had been a person who had managed to do that, as information was added almost daily, though its significance was questionable. There were only limited amounts of people who had access to this or that part of the archives, but Kagome and her friends had special permission to look up whatever they needed.

The first two hours of the search were filled with anticipation, but then Botan lost a bit of her interest and left the investigation to Kagome. The priestess appeared to almost consider this a personal matter, with the almost successful attack on her and her abduction, about which she had to tell the ferry girl over and over again until Botan got the full picture. They found very little to nothing. There were plenty of reports about demon transfers, dog demons included, but as they knew no name save for that of someone associated with the demon, they had little luck.

Finally, Botan suggested they have a pause for lunch. Kagome told her to go off alone, which the ferry girl did, promising to bring her a bit of everything once she got back. The priestess continued her research, still to no avail. After half an hour of looking up everything that came to her mind, she spotted Ayame nearby in conversation with a man she didn't recognize. Without hesitation, she approached the pair – surprisingly, the man spotted her before Ayame did, though they clearly haven't met before.

There was something very eerie in him before Kagome realized that it felt that way because he had a demonic aura that was only concealed enough to stop a full scale alarm from breaking out. However, she sensed no malicious intent coming from him, so she refrained from not meeting his strange burgundy eyes. Ayame spotted her then, giving her a polite smile and a greeting that was returned by the priestess.

"I'm having some tough times with a research, perhaps you could help me?" Kagome asked pleadingly, knowing that if anyone had a way with the archives, it was the chief investigator. "I'm looking for the record of a transfer of an inu youkai to the Makai, but all I have to go with is the name of some likely human woman that had been close to him – Kikyo."

"Of course I'll give it a try." Ayame said. "But first, Kagome-san, allow me to introduce you to Kagewaki Hitomi-san, who has recently been a great help to us in the case of the four beasts your friends are now pursuing. Kagewaki-san, this is Kagome-san, one of our most important agents, the protector of the Shikon no Tama."

Finally, Kagome took in the full appearance of the man standing next to Ayame, who towered even the tall ferry girl. There was truly something demonic in him, excluding his aura, but also the touch of a human, carefully concealed, and likely overlooked by anyone if they didn't know where to search. The discovery earned Kagome an indulgent half-smile from the man, whose clothing she recognized as a sign of nobility from about the time when she had been alive, perhaps some centuries afterwards. And it seemed that aside form the part-human self, they had another thing in common, this being a physical trait – the long, black and unruly hair.

"A pleasure to meet you, Kagome-san." Even his voice had a slightly demonic tinge to it, or perhaps Kagome was just imagining things. She had simply been put through too many demonic games for one day. But the youkai with the appearance of a daimyo brushed her unease aside with another strange smile. "Always on guard against possible threats, I see." he noted when Ayame left to search.

And Kagome recognized it as light chiding. After all, what could any demon do in the midst of Reikai? Aside from that, it seemed that he was amusing himself at her expense, though not malevolently, which was a surprising change. There was no suppression of power of intention around this man, as if he wanted her to know who and what he was.

"Forgive me the habit, Kagewaki-san." she apologized, "And allow me to express my thanks in place of my companions. You must be highly trusted to be allowed into these archives, thus my doubts are misplaced. I am simply wondering…"

Something glittered in his eyes. "Ah, yes. The answer is yes; your senses are not impaired. You feel what remains of a human within me. I was forced to trade my soul for a weak demon's powers; a demon which I overcame through my will and gained more power through enslaving similar weak-willed and mindless creatures. Life was very precious to me once, Kagome-sama."

The priestess noted the change of title, but tried not to react to it with a frown or a blush. It was not her place and heaven forbid that she was becoming a blushing schoolgirl when it came to handsome demons. It couldn't happen again, especially since now, she clearly wasn't influenced by anything but words.

"I see. It's good to see someone who can offer help to Reikai. I'm certain Koenma-sama appreciates it."

"If you like, I believe I can help you as well." Kagewaki said with a slightly softer expression, though Kagome wasn't certain why she found it unnerving. "I believe you sought information about a woman named Kikyo with an association with an inu hanyou."

"Hanyou?" Kagome repeated, surprised. But there had to be a mistake. She would have sensed the human in the dog demon – there was none when he had attacked her or when he had defended her and held her… but she couldn't say that. "I thought he was a full youkai."

A soft chuckle that almost gave her the shivers was her first answer. There was something about this man she couldn't quite put her finger on. "Yes, he was likely in a state of frenzy. Unsurprising, considering that Kikyo has been dead for a few centuries now."

"You know him? Or knew her?" Kagome caught up with that quickly. That could be of tremendous help to her!

"Kikyo was a miko-sama, just like you, Kagome-sama. I daresay that you resemble her uncannily, or that she resembled you, at least in the physical sense of the word."

So that was why the youkai – or hanyou – had mistaken her for the other priestess! Bone structures of humans were hardly unique, she had learned from history, but to find such a resemblance was uncanny.

"Several centuries ago, when I was the daimyou ruling near Edo, today's Tokyo, I believe, Kikyo was summoned to heal me and stayed under my protection in my castle for a time. She had been asked to slay the same demon you have, who had been causing serious problems in a nearby prefecture at the time. Hanyou blood is instable, you see, and the more they give into it, the less reason they have."

It was a very likely explanation, but Kagome thought there was more to the story. It didn't explain why the hanyou had reacted so… tenderly to the image of Kikyo through her.

"What is the hanyou's name?" she asked instead.

It seemed that a slight grimace crossed Kagewaki's handsome face before he answered. "InuYasha is his name. If you need to know, he is the bastard son of the great Inu no Taisho that ruled what was known as the Western Lands when demons freely walked in Ningenkai. In those times, it was hardly rare for demons to find… amusement in human women of fair appearance. To Kikyo's misfortune, she had somehow fallen in love with this hanyou, be it through his trickery or whatever other wickedness. As you can see, it did not end well for her."

"If you are saying that this InuYasha slew her, I don't believe that." the priestess said, shaking her head. "He didn't radiate hatred or anger when he believed I was her."

"No, InuYasha did not slay the priestess. She was slain thanks to the involvement of a second demon that had targeted her because of his enmity towards me and because her involvement with the hanyou weakened her powers. I believe she was killed in front of the hanyou's eyes and the half-demon was defeated in the following battle, because, to my misfortune, I could never locate Kikyo's corpse to give her a proper burial fit for her." Kagewaki explained, his expression darkening for a moment. Kagome momentarily had the wish to ask if he himself had harboured feelings for the dead priestess, but realized that it was too personal a question for a man she barely knew.

"Who was this demon?" she asked, forgetting Ayame and her search, even her initial distrust towards the man. If he was trusted in Reikai, that was enough for her, and the information he had given her was invaluable.

"He goes by the name of Naraku. Once, he was an aid and servant in my employ, but after I discovered some of his more drastic doings, I dismissed him with Kikyo's help. It was she who took his place, in a way, despite being a woman. You can guess that she was no ordinary woman. Another similarity between you and her, Kagome-sama." The demon-human said with an almost but not quite seductive smile. "Her life ended in the struggle and, eventually, I myself was wounded fatally through the machinations of Naraku. The rest, I have already told you."

Kagome noted it all, hoping she wouldn't miss a detail, and thanked him tremendously. "You have been more of a help than you can imagine, Kagewaki-san. I have been very fortunate to encounter you." She relaxed visibly. "I'm sorry only that I have no means of repaying you."

"No payment is necessary, unless you would like to ease your conscience by gracing me with a visit when you are in Makai. I reside both there and here in Reikai, depending on my fancy. You are always welcome in either estate, Kagome-sama." He offered with a gracious smile, giving the impression that this truly was an audition with royalty or at least nobility. The priestess had encountered daimyo in her lifetime, but never had one been so candid.

Just as the priestess was about to accompany her own smile with a polite response – something along the lines of being grateful and certainly willing to pay a visit when possible, that is to say, likely rarely – Ayame returned with a file in her hands, looking slightly grim and breaking the eye contact the priestess and the daimyo had been maintaining, which had begun to border on hypnotic.

"No record on the woman, I'm afraid. But I found you this, Kagome-san." She presented the file to the priestess. "It should be the next best information I can provide you with. This is the file on Sesshomaru, an inugami taiyoukai that has been leader of both the dog demons and several other factions of youkai before the Great Split, known also as the Lord of the West. He still maintains a high position in Makai, though he stays out of the way of the Lords for now, and he has considerable influence. If anyone can help you with your demon, it's him."

"Kagewaki-san has provided me with invaluable information already." Kagome noted, offering him a brief flash of a smile which the demonic daimyo took note of. Then, she remembered something. "Wait, this Sesshomaru is Lord of the West? Does that mean that he is the son of the Inu no Taisho?"

Ayame checked the file and nodded. "Yes. The only legal heir to the title and the inheritance, it seems."

"The only legal heir doesn't mean the only heir." Kagome said swiftly, turning to Kagewaki for confirmation. "Don't you by chance know if InuYasha had a…?"

"Brother?" Kagewaki concluded. "Possible. Naraku was once the person dealing with such transactions. Perhaps he and Sesshomaru have had dealings in the past. In any case, I would turn to the taiyoukai for further questioning. I have known Kikyo, not InuYasha."

Kagome nodded. "Thank you very much, Kagewaki-san. I will have to visit you a hundred times to repay my debt to you." She turned to the chief investigator, already thrilled to have a heading. "Thank you too, Ayame-san. When Sango-chan and Miroku-sama return, please send them to me. I want to find out what I can and might need their help. Thank you again!" she cried, literally running through the archives to make some more research on all four of them – InuYasha, Kikyo, Sesshomaru and Naraku.

Ayame hid a smile as she watched her dark-haired companion's eyes remain fixed on the form of the priestess even after she vanished behind the corner. "Has Kagome-san caught your interest, Kagewaki-san?"

There was some sort of glitter passing through the burgundy eyes, but Ayame couldn't fully identify its purpose. She knew the background of the man but little of his intentions or mindset. Was he interested in Kagome only because he had found someone resembling his advisor and healer, as he had told her upon first seeing the priestess at work, minutes before she herself had approached them? But that would have made a different look surface, Ayame believed.

Finally, the demon-man turned to her, but it was clear that he still saw the priestess in a mind's eye.

Kikyo and yet her exact opposite. Ice replaced by fire. Once he had withstood the initial shock, it was easy to see just what a multitude of possibilities had opened up for him in one instant. A look that could be defined as cunning and musing mixed together passing through his handsome features. And, with simplicity and honesty, he answered the question.

"Yes, Ayame-san. I believe she has."

X X X

_AN: _Dun dun dun! The plot is beginning to unfold here! As for the disguise, think something like manga Kurama with straight hair.


	6. A better mousetrap

Well, this chapter took longer than I thought. The visit to Fluffy-sama (cue evil laugh) was not planned at first, but I thought hey, why not? Otherwise it would just be boring information gathering. It felt a bit like filler without it and I want every chapter to advance the plot at least a little. You'll notice that everyone's favorite bat demon is making a reappearance and that a few old favourites from the IY fandom make their cameo.

By the way, I don't really think Sesshomaru and his household (read and you'll see) will be making a reappearance in this story, and if they will be, it will be only another cameo-thing. As for good old Kagewaki-sama, I'd give you a hint, but I think you might figure this one on your own. Chocolate for those who do! Meanwhile, the chapter is here!

PS: I'll be posting a chapter from my PotO story next, as I have left it stagnate for a month and with nearly twenty-two thousand page views… well, once we get past that mark, the chapter will miraculously appear there!

The ending for this story has been officially planned out already and just as an answer for KagKur fans who might ask themselves this: yes, Kurama will be making an appearance in the latter chapters. You'll see. (Hint: read and review!)

X X X

**A better mousetrap**

X X X X X

"Visits always give pleasure - if not the arrival, the departure."

- Portuguese proverb

X X X X X

"You seem ticked off."

Kuronue was momentarily silenced by what he privately called the glare from a frozen hell.

That would likely be the greatest manifestation of inner anger he would be receiving from Youko, as the kitsune maintained a certain degree of control over negative emotion when it was not aimed at those who had caused it, but on a list of death glares ranging from one,"I am mildly irritated, don't pester me" to ten, "I am wishing the cause of my rage a slow and painful death, by my hand, if at all possible, and if you don't watch out, I will take it out on _you_", the current stage was somewhere between four, "really angry" and six, "a medium stage of rage", the bat youkai guessed humbly. That was relatively livid and, despite being wary of his companion's potentially violent reaction, Kuronue couldn't help but give a slight smirk.

"So your grand master plan to capture the priestess was unsuccessful?"

He didn't really need an answer – it wasn't his intention to gloat, but nor was it to rage. He was simply disappointed that a well-thought-out plan such as the one Youko had presented him with had failed. Try as he might, he couldn't imagine a sane (or insane, for that matter) female in existence that would be able to withstand such a heavily backed seduction strategy. Hell, females threw themselves at the kitsune's feet without him even looking in their general direction previously.

He couldn't help but let out a chuckle at that. "Tough luck, my friend; your miko must have immense willpower."

Instead of ordering his friend to shut up – especially for his use of the words _your_ miko - Youko merely offered another from his collection of death glares. Teasing was _his_ game. "That had nothing to do with it. She had given in with relative ease; but then we had a slightly annoying interference."

"Who would have dared?" Kuronue said, without irony now.

"She had been fighting a demon I helped her a bit with. I don't understand how he broke free of the little organic prison I had constructed for him. His strength seemed to increase when the priestess was fully intoxicated and he moved to protect her." Youko explained dispassionately. He didn't really understand these impulses to protect others when they were of no significance to him, especially if they were potential enemies. "In addition, I believe he mistook her for his mate, who I gathered is likely dead and the miko bears some resemblance to her. Unfortunately, the crazed fool bought her time to recover and escape. I don't suppose the same trick will work on her again."

Kuronue frowned deeply. "At least you've gotten rid of him." he said without any doubt. "That could be one annoyance off our backs. If you manage to separate the miko from the rest of the group again, perhaps you can get close enough for another shot at it."

"No." Youko interjected, silvery hair falling into his face when he shook his head curtly. "He is likely still very much alive." There was clear distaste in his voice, as if he had to force himself to admit such failure.

That was the most stunning revelation of the day, because Kuronue couldn't imagine Youko sparing people who foiled his plans in any way. And this demon had clearly meddled one too many times to even be considered for pardon. The only other possibility was that the kitsune had actually lost, but that was highly improbable, especially as Youko looked more disgusted than willing to tear someone's insides out.

The kitsune caught up with that immediately and gave a slight sneer. "Third person interjection, nothing like you might imagine. I was about to finish him off when a cloud of miasma surrounded his body and took him away in a swirl. Some other demon I have yet to identify, locate and make deceased. But rest assured that such an insult shall not be tolerated."

And as Youko was very precise in keeping his promises, the bat demon had no doubt that whoever had interfered with his fight with the offending demon had just made himself a new and powerful adversary. He decided to leave the matter be for the moment. There were more important things he wanted to ask the fox, mainly, what his next course of action would be. It was doubtful that he would abandon the pursuit of the priestess just like that.

And truly, behind all the annoyance and anger he felt at the moment, Youko's mind rested on the image of the priestess for the moment. Clearly, she was in a similar position, as she had not appeared to recognize the demon either. Thus, as it was obviously her case to pacify the demon somehow, she would likely research whatever possible about the creature and hopefully find something useful on the miasma cloud as well. Then, it would be a simple matter of persuasion to extract the information from her, with her consent or not.

In the meantime, another method of obtaining both the jewel and the priestess was required, to ensure the success of the information gathering. But before he could even start laying out his foundations for the next plan, one of the thieves that specialized in "scouting" for information, entered rather hurriedly and immediately apologized for the interruption, as he was awarded with a semi-cold glare himself. But everyone had been instructed not to enter unless they had a very important reason.

"This better be good." Kuronue muttered to himself and partially the scout as well, as Youko truly didn't seem to be in the mood for unimportant information right now.

Without a hurried explanation, though certainly squirming underneath the cold gaze that seemed surprisingly close to a silent interrogation, the demon presented an official-looking sheet of paper to Youko. The fox demon took and unfolded it, and as he took in the contents, his expression seemed to soften slightly, but it was more alarming than comforting, as a sneer played around the corners of his mouth. In a few seconds, he handed it to the curious Kuronue to read. The bat read the few lines carefully and, upon finishing, understood what his friend found so… amusing.

"Isn't this a little too convenient?" Kuronue asked after dismissing the messenger in Youko's stead. Apparently, the obviousness of the trap didn't bother the kitsune at all, as his eyes were quickly regaining a certain playfulness that seemed trademark for his kind, but which Youko displayed rarely, especially in company… unless, of course, something wicked was heading their way, fast.

"Traps work both ways." Youko noted in a slightly faraway voice, which signified that he was already planning something. What Kuronue didn't know was that he was in fact reliving the image of the priestess in a mind's eye. After the warning and then the blatant escape she made, he hadn't expected her to make such an aggressive move. Its intent was clear as day, but he could give her credit for making a decent plan. Even if she would be very surprised at the results once they would meet again.

"So you intend to go there." It was not a question. "You know I'm coming with you. This'll be too much fun for me to miss it." Kuronue said with a hopeful grin.

Youko didn't return it, but the spark in his eyes rekindled, which was enough of a sign. Besides, he knew the bat youkai would come with his approval or without it. He simply wondered what had triggered the change of strategy of his opponent. It didn't seem to him that the priestess or her friends had a detective-like function, as their main priority was the protection of the jewel. Or perhaps it was a twisted way of recognizing that he was no easy opponent.

And so, until the date written on the paper came, his thoughts strayed to the priestess more often than usual, assessing, judging, calculating. Wondering.

He wondered…

Of course, even he couldn't construct an entirely plausible theory of what exactly had led to this move. Especially as he was to receive intelligence of the group's next visit to Makai that had finished some hours previously only the next day. The dwelling of Sesshomaru was very well secured against unwanted eavesdroppers.

Not even a set of complete instructions could have prepared Kagome and her friends for entering Sesshomaru's estate.

Actually, the word estate didn't really fit the place. It was more like a palace, simple but tasteful, signifying everything Ayame had informed them the taiyoukai stood for: wealth, influence and power. Miroku had considered suggesting that they leave most weapons behind to show their respect, but in the end, his wariness of Makai won out. In any case, Sesshomaru himself was a demon, A-class at the very least from the vibrations they sensed while passing through the corridors of the castle, and certainly not an ally of their cause.

In fact, Miroku wondered exactly how Kagome intended to persuade the inu lord to aid them in their quest. He had heard of how half-demons were treated by other youkai, even their very own blood kin, and it certainly wasn't a pleasant thing. Perhaps Sesshomaru would go as far as to deny the existence of a brother in the first place, rendering their very trip useless. But that was the best case scenario. The worst was that he would be offended by the very name of his half-brother and send his guards to kill them.

That would make the trip a little bloodier, but still useless and angering the dog lord wasn't on their to-do list for today.

Unfortunately, Kagome and Sango didn't seem to see the point of his worries. They were too optimistic and honourable, both of them, too much for their own good, even after their long lives. The monk had a feeling that his abilities might be required throughout the debate, just in case Sesshomaru would appreciate their presence about as much as the vassal that was leading them to his lord's main hall, a rather small toad youkai who kept casting them dark glances and muttering occasionally to himself – something unpleasant, for certain. Not that Miroku was being overly cowardly, but he knew when he wasn't very welcome somewhere.

"Houshi-sama, are you all right?"

Miroku's train of thought was broken when he noticed Sango had fallen back slightly to catch up with him. There was a look of mild concern on her face and, in any other case, the monk would have gladly grabbed her into a forceful embrace to tell her that she was overly kind to worry about him when he didn't deserve it… and maybe try, for the billionth time, to avoid getting slapped and yet remind himself of what her backside felt like.

And a fine backside it was, he thought wistfully, but strangely regained his seriousness before even his cursed hand could twitch and move against his will. "Yes, but there is a great amount of youki surrounding us. I gather most of it is coming from the lord of this castle; he is a strong demon, clearly. I am simply worried how the discussion will go."

Sango nodded gravely, sharing the sentiment. "Yes, but Kagome-chan seems certain that he will help us. I wonder why…" she trailed off and received no answer, as they finally reached the desired room.

Sesshomaru, it turned out, was already waiting for them. Kagome recognized him mainly because of the long snow-white hair that matched that of his half-brother, though it was longer and a bit straighter. The second part of the resemblance were the magenta stripes on his cheeks, but all obvious similarities ended there. The more shocking part was that, in both Kagome and Sango's eyes, though the latter had never seen InuYasha, the taiyoukai somewhat resembled Youko Kurama. Perhaps it was the white clothing, though only the colour was matched, or the slightly impassive and cool expression, or, most likely, the pale golden eyes that were, despite the colour, frosty.

To Kagome's disappointment, not even the dog-like ears InuYasha had had were present on Sesshomaru's head, replaced by pointed human-like ears that were exactly where those of a normal human would be. Of course, the large pelt swung over his shoulder seemed to make him slightly less tall and menacing, but, like with the fox demon, his obvious physical beauty somehow also managed to give warning of him being very dangerous.

And he was ancient, not by any means a young, reckless thing like his half-brother; in his case, appearances were completely deceptive, though. Miroku and Kagome immediately sensed that this creature had been in this world far longer than them, though he appeared to be barely a few years older than them.

He was examining a scroll when they entered; once he spotted the guests, he swept them with his cold eyes and passed the scroll to a servant, who quickly bowed and accepted it in the utmost deference. All of the guests understood it; while InuYasha was a creature ruled by his passions and Youko Kurama didn't mind baiting and tricking a victim, as all kitsune did, the heir of the Inu no Taisho showed no such mercy. _Knew_ no such tendencies.

"Leave us."

His voice matched the impression of a statue that he gave – perfect but utterly cold. Deep, calm and not at all friendly. Miroku was by this point quite certain that their journey had been in vain. Everyone, including the toad-like youkai that had escorted them, bowed down to the very ground and left through doors the guests hadn't spotted yet and that vanished after they left.

The trio also dropped to the ground in a customary greeting bow, as the lord was already sitting on a relatively simple but still throne-like chair.

"I received your message. You have approximately twenty minutes of my time." Sesshomaru said in a dispassionate tone. "Your message spoke of InuYasha. What of the half-breed?"

"We would like to ask you for information about your half-brother." Miroku said, just in the case the demon lord followed the classical archaic etiquette requiring Kagome and Sango to leave the discussion to the only male in the group, him.

The golden eyes of Sesshomaru narrowed slightly, though it made very little change in his overall expression. And, somehow, he ignored both Miroku and Sango, fixing his eyes on Kagome, as if she were the one who spoke.

"Why should I tell you anything about the half-breed bastard?" he asked, without any kind of delicacy. There was a brashness to his words that wasn't mirrored in his tone, showing that he was indeed related to InuYasha; but he was also well-spoken and not at all feral if he chose not to be. "I have no obligation to aid you. Why are you asking about that filth?"

Miroku couldn't really speak now. All of the lessons he had learned about persuasion would be ineffective in this case; not only was he rather intimidated by their host, but he knew that insulting him with mind games wouldn't serve their purposes. Instead, he glanced at Kagome, who struggled to keep her eyes in lock with Sesshomaru's, though it was proving slightly difficult. Even though she had no intention of telling a lie, she knew that she would have to tell him the truth because of his senses, even though Koenma certainly wouldn't approve.

"He was seen performing random and brutal killings in Makai. Reikai intelligence wants that stopped and your brother… pacified." Kagome finished, reasonably certain that he wouldn't be too offended by that if he referred to his own brother as "that filth".

A delicately sculpted eyebrow seemed to rise, but then again, the inu youkai lord's face remained precisely the same. "You will not kill him." This caused all three of the guests to almost gasp in surprise and give their host a rather startled look. But from what little they could read of his face, they had clearly misinterpreted his words. "Should you ever manage to capture the half-breed, I demand that you bring him to me. His death will come by my hand only." Sesshomaru said, in answer to their unspoken question.

Sango recognized this as a custom of her own time – it could be interpreted as saving face, but in reality it was more like a reservation for the killing of an unwanted family member. Kagome nodded, though on the inside, she disapproved. Something in her was against the death of the hanyou, especially after he had defended her.

"Agreed." she said softly.

It seemed to satisfy Sesshomaru, in any case, as he could tell she was being honest. Humans – he had never been fond of them and these three had once been of that race. But he regarded them with a grudging respect that he would neither admit nor display, due to the honour their task provided.

"Then it serves my purpose to tell you what you require of the half-breed. Ask."

"I must ask if you know something about his involvement with a miko known as Kikyo." Kagome asked delicately.

"This Sesshomaru knows nothing of the miko that hunted the half-breed, other than InuYasha being infatuated with the human." The dog lord said with clear disapproval for such a relationship, even though he clearly despised his brother.

Kagome's heart fell a bit, but she posed her second question. "Does the name Naraku mean anything to you?" She didn't notice Miroku's surprised glance and the following frown.

This time, her hopes were fulfilled. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed considerably, as if he had been forced to swallow something particularly sour. "Naraku, huh? He is a hanyou after InuYasha's life." The first information stunned the priestess briefly. "He used to be a ningen that sacrificed his soul to weak demons in return for powers and a new body. A disgusting creature that deserves death. He sought an alliance with me against InuYasha. He failed but escaped my sword and never showed his foul face to me again, to his fortune."

"An old human relation of his told me this name. Is this Naraku still alive?"

The taiyoukai seemed to need to force himself to nod slightly. "I have never received news of his death. Perhaps he is also the reason why my half-brother has allowed the blood to rush into his head, literally."

"Please explain that." Kagome asked. Kagewaki had been only vague about the instability of hanyou blood and as she herself had little experience with half-demons, she was anxious to know more.

"InuYasha is the product of a mating between my father, an ancient taiyoukai, and a human female. The blood of our father is too strong for his weak body and, in life-threatening situations, takes over his instincts to protect him. A defence mechanism that turns him into more of a beast than he already is. Repeated transformations might result in a permanent change." He was being surprisingly forthcoming, though he kept all of his attention focused on Kagome – not encouraging. "If the miko you mentioned perished, likely the half-breed has lost his mind already." Predictably, there was only disgust on Sesshomaru's face.

As there was little else of importance to ask, Kagome lowered her head to the ground again, the others following suit. "Thank you very much for your time, Sesshomaru-sama." He had not even asked for their names, but either he knew or wasn't interested at all. The fact that he had aided them willingly seemed a miracle alone.

"Remember our agreement." the taiyoukai said, almost threateningly, instead of a farewell. The guests understood that they were effectively dismissed and left slowly, without another word.

Once the door closed behind them, Sango finally spoke. "Did you find out what you needed, Kagome-chan?" she asked, a bit more quiet than she otherwise would have been. "I think he told us little what we couldn't have figured out on our own. Except for that Naraku person, the archives would have likely told us everything…"

"I don't think so." Miroku interjected with a surprisingly dark expression. "He told us everything of importance; briefly, but he did. Our interest is finding a means of detaining InuYasha and stopping his rampages. However, if he has already slipped into the critical stage of his transformations, I don't really think there is much we can do."

Sango nodded, but Kagome remembered the moment InuYasha had a chance to kill her and mistook her for Kikyo – then, his eyes had seemed to clear out somewhat and he didn't look as menacing…

"In any case, we have to find him first." Sango noted, stopping the philosophical debate before it could start. "We will have to consider him a standard enemy youkai before we can find out how to subdue him without violence."

"There is a way." A girl's voice said behind them. The trio turned around to spot a young girl dressed in a checkered yukata, who was startling only because she looked utterly human, facing them with a smile that seemed very out of place in Makai. "You can stop InuYasha from behaving wildly, if you give him the sword."

Though none of them had any idea who the girl was, Sango recovered first and asked immediately: "What sword? How can that help?"

The girl gave another smile. "The sword that was given to him as a means of sealing his youkai blood, Tetsusaiga." she explained. "It looks like a rusty old blade but can transform into a mighty fang-like katana in the right hands. It is the key."

But Kagome, even though she recognized that sword, had trouble believing that. "But he had that sword with him when we fought and used it to break my holy barrier – and he was in a state of frenzy then!"

"Can you be certain?" the girl asked. "I was told that the sword transforms only when its wielder has the intention of protecting humans. Perhaps he was only mad with grief. The sword unleashes the most of its power when defending a human, you know."

And finally, it made sense. What if InuYasha had already entered the critical stage and the sword's influence was fading? Miroku posed another question while Kagome was replaying the scene in her mind. Sango only watched and waited, clearly wondering who the strange girl was. It seemed that she had the longevity of a demon but her form was distinctly human-like.

"Why hasn't Sesshomaru-sama told us this?"

A small giggle came from the girl, in thorough contrast with Sesshomaru's previous behaviour. "He wouldn't tell you this. The sword is an heirloom of their father, the taisho-sama, and it was left to the younger brother while Sesshomaru-sama inherited its sister sword, Tenseiga, which has powers he believes are of no use to him."

But before any of them could ask about Tenseiga, the frog youkai that had escorted them through the castle appeared seemingly out of nowhere and made a beeline for the friendly girl.

"Rin! Why are you taking to Sesshomaru-sama's dismissed guests?! Aren't you supposed to be studying?!" he demanded, knocking his overly large staff against the ground. It was a rather harsh greeting, but received a smile in return.

"Ah, but I'm bored, Jaken-sama, and they looked friendly. You know how rarely I get to talk to anyone who was human like me once…" Rin retorted, playing with the hem of her yukata in an almost childish gesture.

"I thought you were part human, Rin-san." Sango noted, earning herself a smile from the girl.

"That's Rin-sama to you, taijiya-san, and I would advise you all to leave as requested." No, Jaken certainly wasn't the friendly kind of youkai, if there was one, Kagome decided, but everyone else ignored the toad, following Rin's own example.

"That's right, but during the Great Split, I didn't want to leave Sesshomaru-sama. So I asked if I could stay with him and here I am." Rin said with a light shrug, but Miroku understood what she meant. She had sold her soul to a very weak demon that was easily overcome by her even without the aid of her taiyoukai guardian and that had been enough to ensure her survival in Makai. Essentially, it was similar to what had created Naraku, only that the demon had no will of its own and was virtually dead, having passed on its powers to the girl.

"Pardon me for asking, Rin-sama, but are you Sesshomaru-sama's mate?" Miroku asked. The girl seemed about Kagome's age, a bit younger perhaps, and had clearly been around for quite a long time, judging by what they had heard. Sango glared at the monk. She didn't like where this was going, ignoring even Jaken's spluttering and incomprehensible words.

Rin gave a merry laugh. "I love Sesshomaru-sama and wish to stay by his side forever. That alone makes me happy." That was a no, then.

"In that case…" Before Kagome or Sango could even blink, Miroku's best Buddha face was in place and he had taken a surprised Rin's hands into his own in a gentle gesture. "Would you bear my child, Rin-sama? It would make _me_ very happy…"

In addition to the bang from Hiraikotsu the monk received, it seemed that Jaken's staff could also produce fire.

Kagome treated Miroku's wounds that night, as Sango was still too cross with him for flirting with another woman, especially with a ward of their host and a dangerous demon at that. They were only mild burns, nothing too serious, but the priestess had her mind elsewhere. In fact, her thoughts strayed to Rin. A human child that had chosen to live with a demon and sold her soul for it… now, admittedly, if she had been a love-struck girl, it could have been understandable, though she couldn't imagine Sesshomaru putting up with something like that. No, there was something different about their relationship, which attracted her attention…

"Thank you, Kagome-sama." Miroku said when she finished her treatment. "I hadn't anticipated that. I was a bit distracted by Rin-sama, you see."

Kagome shook her head reproachfully, but decided not to comment on that. She rather hoped that one day, he would admit that he was more distracted by Sango than some girl he hardly knew.

"You seem a bit faraway, is something wrong?"

Kagome blinked. The monk was being surprisingly perceptive. Not exactly what she needed in this situation, as she had allowed her thoughts to stray once more to her encounter with InuYasha and, through that, to a certain fox demon. Not that it was anything even close to a sign of lasting attraction – heaven forbid – but she was wary ever since she had encountered Youko. Tricking her so easily and effortlessly had not been a pleasant experience and he seemed to be able to achieve it without problems.

Seeing that Miroku was giving her an x-raying look, she admitted her worries to him before he could even think of implying that she was spending a surprising amount of time thinking about the fox demon.

However, she was surprised by the frown she received. "I have been thinking of him as well, Kagome-sama; I haven't forgotten the incident. And I doubt that he will give up so easily. Demons can bear great grudges. I know enough about that." he said, clearly bitterly, making Kagome wonder what made him say that. But he didn't elaborate that thought. "And I believe I've thought of a suggestion regarding this Youko Kurama. It might spare us some problems."

Kagome nodded eagerly. "Go on, Miroku-sama."

"His main advantage is that he is known to be very unpredictable in his moves. This might be a game of chess, a very intellectual combat, in the end." Miroku explained. "And I believe we should be the ones making the first move. As long as Kurama is free, we cannot be certain when we are attacked again. What I propose is a trap."

But the priestess lost her enthusiasm at that point. "Miroku-sama, remember that we know this is an expert on traps and puzzles." She said, a bit darkly. "He will be expecting that if we make the first move."

"Of course he will." Miroku retorted, expecting no less. "But I believe he will jump at the opportunity nonetheless, believing he can outsmart us in our own game. If we are careful enough, we should be able to pull this one off. This is the plan. We will organize a private duelling tournament – only the most worthy contenders from among the demon realm in one-on-one matches. Masks allowed, to preserve the suspense and anonymity of the contenders, and ours as well, before the right time comes. The winner will be offered the ultimate prize – a fight with you, for the sacred jewel. Please hear me out before deciding, Kagome-sama." he added as Kagome was about to interject. "Kurama will definitely come. The demons will fight amongst each other and, as you and Sango have both seen him, you should be able to identify him at least in battle. Then you and I will be able to trap him in a holy barrier while Sango keeps the others at bay with her abilities."

It was a plausible plan, but Kagome still felt worried. She could battle demons with her powers with ease, but actually starting a betting parlour on who will win… and what if the Makai Lords became interested themselves? She asked the monk that, but he only laughed.

"Kagome-sama, do you think they are happy with having a master thief on their hands? If anything, they might actually help us with the plan. Think of it as the perfect mousetrap. We have the trap…"

"And the jewel is the cheese?" Kagome asked, laughing a bit against her will.

Miroku, understanding, chuckled slightly as well. "Yes, the cheese. The bait. It will be risky, but it will work. Trust me, Kagome-sama."

"What if Kurama doesn't come?" It was the last suggestion she needed to pose.

But the monk didn't doubt for a second before answering firmly. "He will."

"And why will he?"

"Because, Kagome-sama, he has been presented with a puzzle and, unless his sources are better than ours, knows nothing of InuYasha or Kikyo. You are the only piece visible to him now, and he has to make a move to solve the mystery."

"Why would he do that?" Kagome asked.

"Youkai don't forgive easily and InuYasha rescued you." Miroku reminded her. "The kitsune is bound to view that as an insult that must be punished. Assuming InuYasha has survived their last encounter, it isn't the last we've seen of either of them."


	7. Divide and conquer

Well, here's a surprise – an update! We haven't crossed the twenty-two thousand line with the other fic yet, and I don't have the chapter completely ready yet, so I was in the mood to work on this a bit. Just a note: there might, might be one more chapter next week, but then I'm off on vacation for a week and I don't know when I will get back to writing… oh, well. I borrowed the CoNR (will make sense later) directly from the YYH anime, but it isn't S. who has it here. Hehe. I just thought it would be cool. Expect a cliffhanger of a surprise at the end!

X X X

**Divide and conquer**

X X X X X

"I haven't a clue as to how my story will end. But that's all right. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, you don't conclude the road has vanished. And how else could we discover the stars?"

- Anonymous

X X X X X

To Kagome's great surprise, things went exactly as Miroku said they would.

Finding the proper place for the tournament had been almost downright easy, because when she paid Hitomi Kagewaki the promised visit and told him briefly about their intentions – part of them, anyway – he more than willingly offered one of his training grounds as a possible location. As for permission from the Makai Lords, they received it almost immediately and the news spread quicker than they thought possible.

Within a week, it seemed all of Makai knew about it. Persuading Koenma that they weren't insane to offer such a chance to other thieves was a bit more difficult, but Kagome was thankful that Miroku had chosen to handle the screaming toddler lord this time while she and Sango tended to other matters.

The day of the tournament came quickly and, courtesy of a very clever suggestion made by Sango, the three of them traded their customary clothing temporarily for traditional warrior tunics worn by any fighter that wished for freedom of movement and concealed their faces in the manner of ninja warriors. In short, save for their eyes, there was nothing visible of their faces, making it more difficult to tell them apart, especially since they were all dressed in dark blue.

The preliminaries had been dealt with previously, fortunately not requiring the presence of any of them, but quite a crowd gathered nonetheless, and each of them appeared to be at least capable. Kagome and Sango both searched for any trace of a familiar face of youki, but Miroku rather expected that they would have a hard time searching for Kurama and his minions. The crowd minimized their chances, but it also worked both ways, really. Already there were mutterings about where the priestess with the prize was. In the privacy of his mind, Miroku both praised and regretted Sango's idea at the current moment, when they truly were surrounded by apparitions of all shapes and sizes.

Why did it have to be him?

Meanwhile, the demons were giving the three of them rather discomforting glances, either leering at the two women or smirking. Naturally, the two of them were concealing their spiritual powers and appearances were highly deceiving when talking about Sango, but nevertheless, it couldn't be clearer that they weren't exactly enjoying themselves.

No announcer was truly needed, as the judges were rather unbiased – the only authority that was respected was that of the resident master of the house, who showed up in the middle of the first fight and asked for a word with Kagome.

Leading her aside while Miroku and Sango remained to watch the match, Kagewaki complimented their plan.

"What I don't understand is what you mean to achieve by this." he said finally. "I am aware that you are likely searching for someone, but how do you hope to capture anyone in this crowd?"

Kagome smiled underneath her mask. "If the peace will last until there is a winner, it will be relatively easy. I doubt the rest of the crowd will agree with anyone getting the jewel. And if Miroku-sama and I can create a strong enough barrier, we can trap our target and make our getaway quickly. I am sorry to have dragged you into this." she added, chewing on her lip anxiously, though he couldn't see that.

But Kagewaki gave a low, melodic chuckle. "I have my own reasons for allowing this to take place in my estate, Kagome-sama. One of them being wishing to see you in action. I have heard a great deal about you from Ayame-san."

Their conversation, filled with surprisingly honest pleasantries, was both relaxing… and watched. Naturally both Youko and Kuronue, who wouldn't have it otherwise, were present, along with a few others, who were told to keep their distance unless absolutely necessary. The fighting had commenced between two relatively weak demons and then progressed. It would have been difficult to spot the thieves even if they didn't try to hide themselves, but their suppression of their individual youki and the disguises they had made it more than impossible. The presence of the jewel was there, but none of the demons could tell where it was.

While Kuronue kept his eyes on the two remaining guardians and the others scattered around to watch the fighting, Youko remained watching only a single figure - the one that retreated from the group with the dark-haired creature that had the shape of a human, the power of a demon and a distinctly unclear aura. The shape underneath the robes was difficult to discern, but Youko wagered a guess on the guardian being a woman, purely because of the possible slenderness of the figure. And as the taijiya possessed no holy powers and no amount of suppression could completely conceal such an aura, he assumed that he had targeted the priestess. His assumption was confirmed when the figure briefly turned to glance at the match that had been won by a rather brutish apparition and Youko spotted the almost demonic blue eyes.

But there was nothing demonic about the peaceful colour, though it was in no way soothing when seen on a dangerous enemy.

The conversation between the two figures continued throughout two more fights until the strange creature retreated and the priestess almost returned to her group, but, feeling eyes upon her, glanced around and searched for the person observing her. By the time she had glanced in the right direction, Youko was long gone from the spot.

For a while, the battles were actually progressing fairly. Minor skirmishers among the participants were to be expected and a few of them tried to strike up a rather sneering conversation with one of the guardians, but remained ignored and left, muttering something under their breaths.

The tension in the air was almost thick enough to be cut with a knife and it was clear that the demons weren't as frustrated by the fact that they were winning or losing, but by the fact that none could sense the jewel fully. It was more than clear that all of them had hoped to overpower its guardians with their numbers and then… well, clearly, then the actual tournament would commence, as all of them had come here not for a chance to fight for a fight for the jewel, but to gain the jewel in question.

"So what do you think?" Kuronue asked suddenly, when a particularly messy fight began, splattering blood on everyone nearby thanks to the clumsiness of its participants. Neither he nor Youko had yet battled and, in the end, it was highly unlikely that they would.

Of course, not being able to tell the jewel's exact location was proving somewhat troublesome.

"We wait, for the time being." Youko noted softly, but there was not the slightest need for him to even lower his voice in the midst of the cheering and jeering combatants. "Unless they make a move and we are unable to locate the jewel, we have to subtly search all three of them, starting with the priestess." He glanced at his prey, who was now hovering near the other end of the ring, but still kept her distance. A wise creature, then. Understandable.

There was only one rule in the battle, and that was that the winner had the right to select their next opponent. Often, it was more of a case of luck than true skill, these victories, and no demon lasted very long as the current champion. Youko saw the strategy of this move – even if they didn't manage to capture him, which was likely, these death matches would reduce the number of dangerous demons in Makai and take a load off a few Reikai agents' backs.

The ring was now thoroughly bloodied and a large ogre-like apparition with a war hammer the size of a human child looked around with its stupid eyes, searching for its next target. Youko smartly ducked behind a larger demon to obscure himself from the demon's view, a motion followed by Kuronue, who was now somewhat further away and keeping an eye on the other two blue-clad reigen.

Unfortunately, though the two of them weren't spotted, the apparition picked out one of their men, who excelled in other things than fighting and clearly panicked at the size of the war hammer in the giant's hands.

But arguments such as "pick someone else, I'm just here to watch" didn't seem to satisfy the beast, who pushed his way through the crowd of demons, which parted, and seized the unfortunate apparition by the throat, dragging him into the ring while his prey panicked, knowing that he wasn't agile enough to dodge the gigantic weapon more than once or twice.

Kuronue watched the whole proceedings with narrowed eyes. He glanced at the spot where Youko had stood a second ago, a bit unsurprised not to see him there at all. He likely used the momentary distraction to get closer to one of the reigen and "search" them, or at least try to do so. It was more than clear to him that one man, give or take, was not of much value to the kitsune; a notion of which Kuronue disapproved somewhat.

There was only one way to prevent a relatively unnecessary death and that was to start the pandemonium himself. And the easiest way of doing so was obvious – with precision, he moved through the crowd and struck the strongest-looking demon the giant passed by. The effect was immediate – the apparition roared in anger and struck its relatively obvious assailant – the giant with the hammer – back full-force. The giant, naturally, couldn't leave it that way, and struck the offending demon, missing him by inches and hitting another. The bloodthirsty nature of demons took the better of them and a relatively natural course of action took over – slaughter.

Meters away from the priestess, Youko stopped in his tracks and returned his attention to the ring, where a mass battle was now going on. Clenching his teeth a little bit, he could tell the likely reason for this occurrence, but fortunately, he was prepared for it. The houshi and the taijiya seemed to be momentarily frozen, uncertain whether or not it had any use to interfere, but when the first demons realized that the rules were practically non-existent now, they lunged themselves at the two reigen, clearly trying to obtain the jewel they thought the pair must have.

The priestess, far enough still, rushed away in a move to get a good distance to aim and fire. Unfortunately, a tentacle shot out of nowhere and grabbed her arm before she could release her arrow. She dropped her weapon and grabbed the thing to purify it away in a strong dose of holy energy, but it had raised her to a two-meter height, so she dropped to the ground rather unceremoniously, though she appeared to be all right. Another appendage reached to grab her, but this time Youko intervened. The flash of the whip was so quick, the priestess, who raised her head a second later, had no chance of seeing it and when she scrambled to her feet, another demon was attacking already, but not her.

She had no idea that she had been spared the trouble of killing a demon, but didn't dwell on the matter, as she spotted another apparition heading towards her, clearing its way in a most unorthodox manner – with a cape-like cloth, which seemed to vanish whoever it struck. Kagome searched the ground for her bow just before the demon could arrive, but it was doubtful that the attack would be aimed at her. She miscalculated in that matter and had not someone yanked her to the side with an iron grip, she would have been hit.

Or had she been hit anyway? All seemed to go black, twisting and turning, until…

There was a slight bang, as if her body had been seized, a swirl of colour and matter and then, Kagome found herself crashing into the perfectly solid ground, except that it seemed someone had turned off the lights at the worst moment, making it seem like a bad joke at a strange birthday party. With a groan, she scrambled to all fours, and then felt that someone took her by the arms and helped her to her feet… but not before a light appeared almost from nowhere, a lit torch that she had no idea was nearby, except that it wasn't anything of the sort.

It seemed she was in a cave, as she felt stone beneath her feet and the air was slightly moist. That would also explain the lack of light, aside from the one firefly-like lamp… thing. She was a bit confused right now. But apparently, she wasn't alone.

"What… is that?" she asked feebly, looking at the strange light source.

"It's known as a lamp weed. Having no external source of illumination here, it will prove very useful to us."

And finally, Kagome directed her gaze towards her companion and stumbled back, almost tripping on a rather annoyingly placed rock and caught by the arm by none other than Youko Kurama, sans disguise this time and five times as handsome (possibly ten, depending on how close up we were talking) and dangerous-looking. Immediately, a wave of fear passed through her. Now that there was no need to be masked, his disguise had dropped completely and he was calmly looking at the plant that seemed to be growing in the palm of his hand. Of all the people that she could have been stuck in a cave with…

"Careful, Kagome-sama. It would be inadvisable to get yourself killed just yet." he said, in all seriousness. He was treating her with surprising courtesy, which was uncustomary for him. At least without the ironic edge to his tone, it was. He attributed it to the strange circumstances that had reunited them.

Kagome couldn't believe her eyes, or her ears, for that matter. The last two words were more realistic, but the words of concern – though the tone of his voice didn't mirror that sentiment – were thoroughly surreal. There had to be a reason for that she was yet to discover.

"Where are we?" she chose to ask.

"A cave, obviously." Youko said, both teasingly and unhelpfully, though his voice remained entirely serious. "The item that transported us here must have been the famed Cape of No Return. Or some device that works in a similar manner." It was a surprise that the cape had taken both of them, let alone that they had landed together. "We could be anywhere, even in another dimension – Reikai, Makai, Ningenkai…" His ears twitched a bit, as if he was picking up a sound Kagome couldn't hear and the priestess was temporarily distracted. "Well, at least we are still in Makai." he said after a moment. "This cave is not uninhabited."

The new information promptly broke Kagome's train of thought and she quickly tried to sense whatever demon presence nearby. She had been a second too late, as an unseen blow knocked her forward and back to Youko, who didn't move to catch her this time. But as the priestess turned, a vine-like object shot forward in a flash almost undetectable by eyesight of any kind, which Kagome later identified as the thorny whip she had seen before and then all was gone in a flash, the whip and the demon's aura at almost the same time.

"Shadow apparitions." Youko said in an unimpressed tone of a scientist whose lab rat had died and proved his point. "Generally weak and tiresome to the point of annoying."

A frown crossed his face, exceptionally pale in the slight illumination of the plant he had summoned. That meant they weren't in any real danger, but the labyrinth of the cave could prove a bit more troublesome. He couldn't tell how many miles they had crossed thanks to the teleportation, and, given the fact that the Makai was vast and likely endless… they could be in any part of it, though he wagered a guess at a more rural part of it.

Kagome, on the other hand, was more concerned with the rest of the possible inhabitants of the cave and immediately attempted to sense any different presences. To her great dismay, there were quite a few lurking around and she was barely able to make out the only unblocked exit from the cave, several dozens of meters above them, though she could only see darkness and her kitsune companion – ironically, the one demon who wasn't aiming to kill her, at the moment, she thought wryly. But she couldn't sense one thing – what kind of demon… wait!

Meanwhile, the fox finally returned his attention to Kagome, observing her somewhat critically. No, it was not profitable to kill the priestess at the current moment, though she was clearly weaponless and her aura radiated great distrust. Expected and natural, all that, but distinctly unhelpful nonetheless. He had two alternatives presently. One, leaving the priestess to her fate – or sealing it himself, possibly – or taking advantage of her still intact powers and escape the cave with a little more energy than he otherwise would have.

Decisions, decisions…

Meanwhile, the priestess turned her attention to a matter of more importance to her.

"Hey! You let that thing hit me just so you could see what kind of demon it was!"

That being screaming her head off at such a trivial thing. It was incomprehensible to a logical mind, really. There was no chance that such a weak thing would have killed her. Perhaps this had something to do with ningen or reigen manners he was unfamiliar with, he mused, but it was a rather improbable thing. He was rather knowledgeable even in that area.

"Yes, true. But have I not told you that you will not die yet?" he asked, unmoved by the display of near-childish emotionality. Somehow, the priestess had been much more pleasant even when she had been aiming an arrow at him.

But it didn't seem to assure Kagome that there had been no need to fear. "All you said was that it would not be a good idea for me to die! I hardly think that qualifies as a promise of protection!" she finally removed the cloth concealing her face, revealing a countenance flushed with anger. For someone so old, she was very short-tempered.

"How discourteous of me." Perhaps it was merely the trick of the light, because his voice was cold, but Kagome thought she saw the corner's of the fox demon's mouth twitch slightly.

Well, two could play the teasing game.

"Yes it was." she said crossly, folding her arms. "And I want to know why you haven't tried to kill me yet when you have a chance to do so. It can't be out of charity or the goodness of your heart, so give me the reason."

There was no mistaking the hint of a superior sneer in his eyes this time. "Would it ease your mind if I tried to kill you now?" he asked, holding up a rose. It seemed that Kagome finally understood that that was the "hiding place" of the long whip she had seen in action before. "I'm sure that it would be most wonderful if this cave collapsed on top of us and buried us alive." At least she seemed to shudder at that, Youko thought wryly. Clearly, she hadn't considered that possibility. "I would rather save a confrontation for another date." Welcome to the wonderful world of puns; the priestess seemed very frustrated at that. "Aside from that, I wouldn't want anyone claiming credit for tweaking the circumstances for me. Professional pride, surely you understand that."

It hadn't occurred to her that the cave might collapse on top of them, but now that Youko mentioned it, she found herself grudgingly appreciating his logic and was slightly embarrassed at her own reaction. Of course she didn't want to end up stoned to death. While not yet entirely certain whether or not to trust an all-too-cunning thief, Kagome was effectively silenced by those words and nodded slightly, still eying him warily.

"All right. Temporary truce, then. Now, how do we get out of this cave?" The truce would likely be over once outside the cave, though.

As she had finally agreed to something, they could move forward at long last. "I heard that you can set up a barrier that effectively destroys demons that attempt to penetrate it. I would like you to put such a barrier around this entire cave, sufficient to destroy the apparitions. They are weak and will turn to dust, if you set the optimal level." Youko explained, noting with a bit of surprise that she was turning to him for a plan and answers.

Kagome's eyes widened. "No! No, I won't do that!"

"And what reason might you have for that?" the kitsune asked, his tone a little colder. Clearly, he disliked disobedience.

"If the barrier is set to destroy the apparitions, I might harm you as well!" For the first time, the priestess received a rather roguish grin in response, though it was a brief flash meant to tease her.

"Why, Kagome-sama, I didn't know you cared."

The honorific had a slightly mocking twist to it, though it was unclear whether it was intentional or not. In any case, it was both surprising and somewhat calming that there was nothing even close to a leer in those words. It was simply the mischief that found a new target. A target whose buttons were rather easily pushed.

"…and should I send a wrong level of power out, I could purify you entirely and that wouldn't be an entirely smart move." she finished, ignoring the words but glad that it was dark enough not to show the colour spreading through her face. She wasn't sure how good demon eyesight was, though.

"Then you'd better take care to set the correct level of power. Unless you are unable to do it…"

The teasing worked, and Youko temporarily felt the sensation of a pressure wave passing through him, like the result of an explosion, spreading and enclosing at the same time, burning, but not to a truly painful level. Merely enough to be annoying and cause a few burns to appear on his otherwise smooth skin. The barrier imploded after a moment, as it had served its purpose, and the energy returned to the priestess.

She saw the bruises even with her poor eyesight and let out a small noise that might have been a strangled gasp. "I told you I might hurt you!" she said, as if it was his fault, but the look she received silenced her somewhat.

It seemed to notify her of the minor fact that he had been thoroughly aware of what might happen. She likely didn't know that demons healed almost immediately, especially minor injuries. It would take only a few minutes for the burns to vanish. To her credit, at least she didn't fuss over the wounds that healed in front of her eyes, leaving the skin only slightly redder than it was before.

"I don't sense any other apparitions. I think the barrier dealt with them all."

"Very well, let's leave."

Kagome hadn't expected the briskness and business-like manner Youko now employed. Usually, a person would gloat after suggesting a plan that seemed foolhardy at first and then worked immediately. Perhaps she was simply being too human. Nevertheless, she kept an almost too close eye on her demon companion on their way out of the cave tunnels, partially because she was wary and curious, partially because he was the only provider of a light source around and a little bit because there was, by far, not a more pleasant sight around them.

After a few minutes of this, without ever stopping or facing her, the kitsune gave a smile that was both sheepish and knowing, which woke Kagome from her reverie and made her realize that she had been staring.

"I realize I am pleasant to look at, Kagome-sama, but I hardly think now is the time for such things… though if you prefer, we can continue where we left off when your crazed demon admirer barged in once outside."

"For your information, he isn't crazed and he's not my admirer." Kagome scoffed, frowning. She wasn't aware that she was so defensive when it came to the topic of admirers, but then again, she had never even had the chance to consider recognizing anyone as an admirer. In her life, she had had only her training. Now, there was only her duty. There had never been the time to consider herself. "And his name is InuYasha, not that you care about such things I suppose." She tossed him a dark look, filled with suspicion still. "Only itching to get your hands on the jewel, aren't you?" she said, clearly trying to make her tone cold, despite her rather burning combination of emotions consisting of a wide range of negative feelings.

"And other things." Youko noted in a very nonchalant tone, ignoring the priestess's embarrassment when she interpreted the words precisely in the way he expected her to. This was why teasing was so amusing at all times. At least she had a variety of expressions. "Infatuated dog demons aside, I have been wondering one thing regarding the jewel. During the dueling matches, I couldn't sense the jewel's distinct aura and I gather that the other demons present could not, either. Yet it had to be present, as you were." The kitsune paused, then decided that he had no reason not to ask. "How did you hide it?"

"Why should I tell you?" Kagome asked they were cooperating for the moment didn't imply that they were allies. For all she knew, this was all but a game and a ploy to get some secrets out of her.

But then, wasn't anything better than the awkwardness of the situation? And the plan had been carried out already, what was the use in hiding the tactics when they would likely not be able to employ them again?

Youko considered a number of replies before finally saying: "You shouldn't. Precisely why it would be so thrilling to do so." Try as she might, Kagome couldn't disagree with that. "In any case, it doesn't seem to be radiating from you now. Do you even have it with you?" It was all curious – why would the protector of the jewel abandon that duty?

But Kagome produced the necklace after digging a bit in her robes, the pinkish jewel shining on it without a doubt. But there was something wrong with it. Worse still when the priestess stopped, dropped it to the ground and promptly stepped on it with her right foot, hard. In a reflex that was suppressed, Youko stopped and his eyes sharply turned to the cracking fragments. But Kagome remained remarkably blasé about crushing the jewel and, come to think of it, it didn't radiate any kind of splendid energy.

Unless… "Ah, of course. A fake." Kagome nodded. "Of course you wouldn't bring the real jewel with you. Yet its presence was there. And so… one of the other two had it, correct? But even then, I should have been able to sense it. How come it remained concealed?" Upon seeing her reluctance, Youko allowed his eyes to soften a bit, but it was with mischief and the glee of one who was close to figuring out a secret riddle. "The monk is my guess. Am I correct?"

Another nod, and they started moving again. After all, Kagome wasn't really telling him these things – if he could figure all this out on his own, it was clear that they would have to discover another means of defending the jewel soon. There was no harm in finishing his theory.

"Sango-chan came up with the idea. While Miroku-sama possesses spiritual power, his spirit… well, let's just say that he is less than virtuous in terms of worldly pleasures."

Youko didn't smile, only nodded, still walking forward. They encountered no other resistance on their way, but the search for the means of escape was tiresome. "I see. The monk's own aura taints the jewel to an acceptable degree, corrupting its purity to a level when demons can no longer sense its distinct presence of goodness and make the mistake of attributing the power to a more powerful apparition in their midst. Very clever."

Kagome was inclined to think the same of him, but wasn't certain voicing that thought would be a good idea. "That was the general idea, yes."

They spoke little for the rest of the journey, which took a surprisingly short time, save for a few moments when Kagome underestimated her physical abilities regarding jumping over a looming abyss of a hole they had to cross. Fate had a strange sense of irony, as Youko seemed to be holding true to his word when he saved her from a very nasty fall with reflexes that reminded the priestess that though he look human, he was likely the farthest thing from that.

She had never been so glad to see sunlight as she had been then.

Both of them looked a little worse for the wear; Youko's robes were no longer utterly pristine and Kagome's oniwaban clothing was torn in a few places, but they were both without lasting injuries. The environment they entered almost made the cave seem homey in comparison.

Gnarled tree stumps and twisted branches were not exactly the perfect place for a picnic, but Youko, to Kagome's surprise, didn't seem at all troubled by the fact that they didn't have the faintest idea where they were. Instead, he walked calmly to the nearest tree and gently placed a hand on it, in an almost caressing gesture. Its purpose was explained a moment later, when the kitsune returned his attention to the priestess, who was staring, not understanding a thing.

"We are in the depths of Mukuro's domain, but far away from the centre of it." he explained, and Kagome remembered hearing that animal spirits at times used plants in the same manner humans in Ningenkai could use animals. "We should not gather too much attention here; in that, we are fortunate."

For the first time, the presence of the jewel was not at all desired by Youko, as it presented them with the advantage. Of course the priestess radiated the feeling that she clearly was no demon, but it wasn't as obvious and wide-spreading as the power of the fully purified jewel. In fact, put next to his own powers, the two forces were likely to either cancel each other out or the purification powers would be obscured entirely by his own.

Meanwhile, remembering her communicator, Kagome attempted to get some advice herself, but it seemed to have been exhausted its power supply for the moment and would need time to recharge. But somehow, as they proceeded to walk away from the cave, she got the distinct feeling that the area was somewhat familiar to her and that she had been here before. She ran up to Youko, who never stopped in his movements, to tell him this, but was stopped before she could open her mouth to speak.

_Silence. We are being watched._

The thought echoed in her mind as if she herself had thought it, but she distinctly recognized Youko's voice in her head. She almost stopped momentarily, trying to feel any hostile auras in the area, but ended up almost crashing into Youko, who finally stopped in his tracks.

For ten full seconds, the kitsune remained motionless, watching and waiting. And then, without warning, he grabbed the priestess by the waist and sprang away from the spot up high into the nearest tree. It was so fast, Kagome didn't have even the time to scream in protest, but when she saw several clearly vicious wolves land on the spot where they had stood moments ago and crash into one another in a swirl of howls and growls and sharp teeth, she decided against protesting altogether.

The hand that remained fastened around her waist like a ring of iron was slightly discomforting, especially as she was still hanging in the air, Youko's arm her only support, while he was standing steadily on a branch she would have likely balanced on with problems. A moment later, the same sensation of her stomach flying up, up, and away was repeated, as Youko jumped again, lightning fast, landing on an altogether different tree. By then, however, Kagome had managed to get one good glimpse of their assailants and put two and two together. Now she understood why she recognized the general area.

"Wait! Stop! It's me!" she yelled, causing the scene to freeze.

Even the wolves that weren't demons were staring at her and Youko cast her a surprised and calculating look. However, she didn't care. All she did was maintain eye contact with the wolf demon closest to her, who had the best chance of seeing her face. And, finally, he recognized her, despite her different clothing and rather surprising companion. How she had to look to them…

"Ka-Kagome-nee-san? Is that you?"

Taking into consideration the two differences between the priestess he knew and the one he saw now, her clothing and the cold-eyed fox demon with a firm grip on her waist, the young ookami youkai had to be forgiven for not recognizing her at first – it truly was a bizarre sight. However, his concern was elsewhere as his face turned into one of mortification.

"Kouga's going to kill us!"


	8. The jigsaw puzzle

This was originally meant to be shorter, but I thought that having it turn out like this would be more amusing. As for everyone's favourite ookami, I hope he's sufficiently in character not to be distracting. He'll be appearing a few more times, but I don't really think he'll be a major character. There's too much going on, so I think his part will be about as large as it is in the IY manga. By the way, I finally got the YYH manga, so I might as well start reading it.

In the meantime, enjoy the fic, it's not yet really filled with KagomeYouko-ness, but remember, guys, patience is a virtue.

X X X

**The jigsaw puzzle**

X X X X X

"A girl is a person who screams at the mouse and smiles at the wolf."

- Shyam Kapoor

X X X X X

On the whole, Youko was beginning to think that somewhere, the trap and the sneak attack plan both had gone wrong to the point of ridiculousness somewhere.

After the initial not entirely friendly greeting, it appeared to turn out that Kagome was familiar with the woefully unsubtle wolf demons, as once they returned to the ground; she began using the first names of two of them without any kind of honorific. How they knew her, he couldn't say, but since they kept calling her "sister", he supposed that either she had done their clan a great service in the past and they had accepted her as one of their own – or, the more likely option, they were simply really, really stupid.

While Youko contended himself to giving a cool stare to anyone who meet his eyes (to Kagome's slight irritation), the priestess proceeded to lay out the situation to the wolves. They were highly understanding – if a little wide-eyed upon hearing what had happened – and she had to swear not to tell Kouga what had happened. Not that she would have told him anyway; she knew how the wolf prince would get.

That she asked them for possible directions and help was acceptable. That she proved unable to refuse the offer of shelter for the night was not.

Youko personally thought their pleas that Kouga – their pack leader, likely – would skin them alive if they didn't bring him proof that she was alive and well were rather amusing, a bit on the pathetic side, but the priestess apparently found them worthy of pity. It served to show the profound difference between their views.

Reigen. How they had survived for so long, he had no idea.

The kitsune debated with himself whether or not to abandon her at this point. After all, she was relatively safe – more than most he had left to their fate could say for themselves. Certainly the ookami were no opponents for him, especially not in the forest, should they be foolish enough to attempt to detain him. And Kagome had no jewel at the moment. Of course, it was likely that ransoming the priestess to Reikai would also be worth something, but he preferred not to leave a job half-done and intended to kill two birds with one stone. Besides, watching the priestess squirm and wait when he would ask the ultimate question – how she had ended up a member of a savage wolf demon tribe – was actually entertaining.

Kagome refused to be embarrassed by the situation, partially because she knew the wolf tribe would help her, but mostly because she knew that it could – and likely would – get even more embarrassing later on. Once they left the forest, she finally recognized the surrounding mountains as the dwelling of the wolves, but she adamantly refused to be carried until the terrain became too much for her.

The reason became apparent when they finally reached the den and every wolf was far less than willing to fetch their leader. But apparently, her scent was very easy to distinguish, as a familiar tornado zoomed into the rather roomy cave within minutes of their arrival, slowing down and stopping to reveal the black-haired, blue-eyed wolf prince, who wasted no time in almost zooming towards the priestess to grab her hands in a quasi-romantic gesture that seemed strangely grotesque to an outsider's eye, though it was doubtlessly sincere.

Kagome really wondered who was more theatrical – Kouga or Miroku – but decided not to go that far. Miroku was wise and worldly, but he was the greatest pervert in the history of the Three Realms. And Kouga, while courteous (if a bit chauvinistic in thinking that she was in love with him _because he said so_), was adorably (and annoyingly, as time passed) clueless.

Opposites, really.

But when the demon greeted the priestess with: "Kagome! I take it my woman's finally decided to come live with me properly." even the composed Youko felt his eyes widen a bit and suppressed a quiet snort when he saw the distinctly uneasy expression that appeared on Kagome's face.

Clearly, this wasn't the first time this had happened, but it was a curious thing. Apart from their difference in species, it couldn't be clearer that in terms of physical purity, the priestess was spotlessly innocent. The only claim the wolf could possibly have on her was a verbal one.

Perhaps the snort hadn't been suppressed enough or perhaps his scent just stood out among the wolves, but the kitsune was the second person Kouga spotted upon releasing Kagome's hands a bit and eyed him with a narrowed gaze.

"Why is this scum with you, Kagome; where are your friends?" It seemed that the wolf prince was not unfamiliar with Youko or perhaps he was just supremely indifferent to his identity. "I'll be having a word with them – if they can't protect you properly…"

"It isn't their fault, Kouga-kun." Kagome interjected swiftly.

Then, she quickly proceeded to retell how they had ended up where they were, but Youko took note of the fact that she didn't mention the purpose of the duelling tournament itself at first. She also seemed to be keen to avoid answering the wolf's first question for as long as possible. Judging by the sharp glance she received when she was forced to do so and the amount of concern the wolf demon showed – though mostly verbally – it could be understood. Then, with an expression of sweetness that was the tiniest bit forced, she continued her explanations.

"All I need is to get my communication mirror recharged and then I can call Reikai to get someone to pick us up."

Apparently, Youko wasn't the only one who noticed her usage of the plural with a raised eyebrow, as the wolf finally turned his attention back to the white-clad demon, whom he had rather ignored up till that point. Releasing the priestess, Kouga took a few steps to the kitsune, giving him a look of some contempt.

"Huh. For a legend, I figured you'd look more impressive, fox." the wolf prince noted with a hint of smugness, turning back to Kagome as if to signify that the fox demon was not worth his attention. "I'm not leaving you alone with this guy, Kagome. Those wimps from Reikai won't help you at all; only attract more attention from the demons."

But Kagome looked very flustered by that bravado – not that the wolves noticed it. "I can't let you get too involved in this, Kouga-kun. It would be risking exposing your friendliness towards me and could thus grant you and the tribe more enemies."

However, it didn't seem that the wolf prince was one for being dissuaded easily and logically, as he used the moment to take the priestess's hands again.

"Always thinking of the good of the tribe. Every time we meet, you supply me with more evidence that I made the perfect choice, Kagome." Kouga said solemnly, and Kagome felt that if there was a time when she would be twice as embarrassed as before, it was now. "All right, then. Your wishes are always respected here, Kagome. But I insist that you stay for a while – with your disappearance, youkai will be all in uproar and until your mirror recharges, you have no means of knowing how the situation back at that estate turned out. Besides, I won't have you strolling around Makai in the dark. Especially not with only a backstabbing thief for company."

The wolf prince made no move to even disguise his meaning, but, to Kagome's surprise and great relief, the fox demon was not hot-headed enough to be provoked by words, merely remained gazing at Kouga with that cold stare. Strangely, the priestess saw the hint of some challenging sneer in his face as well; visible only when one looked for it. And then she understood that this was a retort in its own right, one that mocked the entire exchange between her and the wolf demon.

Kouga apparently saw it as somewhat of a challenge of his… well, _claim_ on her, but before he could move to attack or even approach Youko, Kagome stepped in between the two demons and hastily announced that she needed to speak with the kitsune.

"Alone, if at all possible, please." she added as an afterthought. Some of the wolves gave her stupefied looks that said that she was either very brave or very insane. Likely both. But they knew that if anyone had power over their leader, it was his "woman".

The wolf prince only raised an eyebrow and actually gave a stiff nod. "We'll guard the entrance to the cave, so you can give me a shout if you need help, Kagome." he said, then turned to Youko. "Until Kagome is ready to leave, consider yourself our _guest._ I might allow you to stay here, but you're not gonna roam freely around my territory."

"How generous of you." Youko noted dryly, disinterested. "Do you expect me to steal your sleeping furs? I haven't seen anything else of any value here."

Once again, Kagome stepped in. with backup on Kouga's side, the demons were likely reasonably evenly matched, but she had seen enough bloodshed for one day. With a glare at Youko and a respectful glance to Kagome, Kouga made a rather displeased exit, the rest of the ookami following suit. At last, in a strange déjà vu, the fox demon and the priestess were alone in a cave again. While Kagome knew precisely what she wanted to speak about, the words evaded her somehow.

Instead… "Must you provoke him like that?" she blurted out before she knew it. Youko, expecting a rather different question, blinked. "Kouga-kun said he'd help…"

"I'm curious as to why you believe that I will be going with you any further than necessary, Kagome." It was the priestess's turn to blink and frown at the all too familiar form of address, causing somewhat of a twinkle to lighten up and die in the kitsune's eyes. "I also wonder if simply stating that you are my woman makes you my woman. Or is that some spiritualistic mating ritual you reigen perform?"

Against her will, Kagome felt her cheeks burn. "Kouga-kun is my friend and ally." she clarified clearly, "Whereas you are neither of those. So if I am ever to become anyone's "_woman_", which is doubtful, you're certainly in the bottom ten candidates I'd ever consider."

"But you _would_ consider me." If it was possible to pale and redden at the same time, Kagome achieved just that. It was next to impossible now to tell just how mocking the kitsune was being. "How flattering. In any case, maybe your second suitor should learn that a cornered fox bites. Amusements aside, you haven't answered my question, which I'd like to remedy. You really expect me to come with you and willingly submit myself to Reikai? You are more naïve than I assumed."

"I can fight you this time, properly, if you want me to." the priestess said solemnly, frowning at being called naïve. "I could trap you in a barrier bubble and transport you to Reikai like that. But before we get to that, I had a different reason for wanting to talk to you. I want to know why you want the jewel." It appeared that full seriousness had returned to the conversation. "You're strong. The jewel would not help you much."

Whether Youko believed those words or not was questionable. "You forget my profession and my interests. The jewel is likely one of Reikai's most guarded treasures. Curiosity cannot be blamed and can hardly be denied." He said, as if that was the most natural thing in the world.

He expected the priestess to fly of the handle a bit again, which would be acceptable, but she, surprisingly, looked a little disappointed. "I see. You have no wish to ask of it, then."

"Why the sudden interest?" Youko asked, eying her with newfound curiosity. There was a reason behind this. "Don't tell me you take wish requests from random demons."

Kagome gave him a half-hearted glare, but refrained from commenting. "There is only one way of destroying the jewel completely and utterly – a pure wish. Since the beginning, I have been searching for that wish, but finding it has proved difficult."

That she admitted the truth – for there was no lie in her now, he could smell that – and did so that easily did not escape his vigilance. "So you are desperate enough to ask random demons you manage not to be fighting with at the moment to see if they have a better imagination than you?"

"I hardly consider you a random demon." she retorted crossly, unaware of the complimentary interpretation of that, "But perhaps I misjudged your intelligence."

"Are you always this quick to assume things?"

"Only when faced with facts."

"Then be confronted with this fact – no demon or apparition will ever help you destroy the jewel. Perhaps you have only encountered weaklings easily crushed or manipulated. But if you seek a means of removing the jewel from existence, you cannot rely on anyone but yourself." Youko said, with no trace of pity for her plight. "One would think that you've been appointed its keeper for a reason."

That pushed the priestess too far. "I never asked for this!" she cried, her emotional control slipping. He had no right! "You think I wanted an eternity of battle? The point is that, willingly or not, here I am. And I thought that as you are so renowned for finding solutions, you might be able to help me!"

"And that is the problem with your presumption. You presumed that I would help you. What reason have you assumed I would have for helping you?"

"It doesn't matter anyway! You said yourself that you have no wish, so you can't help me even if you wanted to!"

One could learn to hate that expression of superiority. "Kagome, Kagome. Has it ever crossed your mind that I might have deceived you?"

Unfortunately for the priestess, her reflexes were not quite up to par with those of Youko. Her slap, which had once worked on a stupefied Kouga, was not nearly as effective on the fox demon, and her wrist found itself in an iron grip. It was the first contact of skin in a long time that was less than friendly in terms of intentions, but it wasn't repelled by the jewel; she had completely forgotten about its absence. Kagome was so used to its protection that she was caught completely off-guard by this.

"Your skills of persuasion are unfortunately lacking somewhat. Is this your ally-gaining method?" Youko said quietly, somewhere between a whisper and a soft hiss. The priestess felt her hand carefully twisted away and had the opportunity to see that close proximity hardly lessened the frost in her captor's eyes.

"No." she said through gritted teeth. "This is my method of pacifying cocky males."

"I'm certain you will have ample opportunity to practice your technique when you become wolf princess." With a light jolt of holy energy, the priestess yanked her wrist free.

She could deny much, but not that he had a talent for hitting her nerves. "Have you chosen to come here only to mock me? If so, we might as well move to the part when we fight."

"I do not want to fight you… yet." Youko noted enigmatically. "Go give some phrases to appease your wolf's pride, lest he believe he has cause of jealousy." Again, that annoying trace of a smile. "Or has he?"

Fortunately for Kagome, she had expected a continued teasing on that account and finally had an answer ready. Of course, it didn't help her colour changes at all, and she really hated being some would-be chameleon demon.

"If the inside of you matched the outside, perhaps I would consider a different answer than a resolute no." and, turning on her heel, the priestess stormed out of the cave, but not before she could hear at least the hint of an answer.

"You will get my answer when you return."

Unsurprisingly, Kouga was waiting for her outside, pacing her and there, glancing at her immediately when she left the cave. Clearly, he wasn't able to relax very well in the current situation. Apparently, he also wanted to talk to her, as he led her away from the cave entrance and towards the open air.

"Are you all right, Kagome?" the wolf prince asked immediately.

Kagome gave a weak smile. "Of course. I don't think he wants to engage in pointless battles."

Kouga frowned, but ignored the topic of Youko. "I've sent out some scouts to find out what has happened after the tournament. They should be back within a few hours with news. You should get some rest in the meantime."

"I'm fine. I actually wanted to ask you for a favour regarding scouts."

"Anything you wish, Kagome."

The priestess could almost feel the drop of sweat rolling down her temple at the repeated gesture of grabbing her hands. "Um, yes, well, I'm currently working on the case of an inu hanyou known as InuYasha and I lost his trace recently." She gave a brief description of the demon and mentioned his rather unbalanced state. "He mistakes me for a girl named Kikyo – we appear to share physical similarities he isn't able to distinguish in his current emotional state. I was wondering if you and the others could help me by giving me a shout if you smell anything like him somewhere. I'd be very grateful."

Surprisingly, Kouga frowned slightly. "Strange that you mention that, actually. I've been meaning to tell you – I thought I felt a whiff of dog stench pass through the vicinity a few days ago, but I can't be sure. On the whole, I'd sense something that revolting immediately, but it was almost entirely obscured by a large cloud of miasma."

"Miasma?" the priestess asked, bewildered.

"Yes, and a lot of it. There was a great deal of powerful youki there, but it was a bit different from that of a usual demon, even a high-class one. I'd watch myself on this case, Kagome. Hanyou are rare and troublesome on their own, not to mention annoying, and this is the first time I've heard of one being in Makai in a very long time. They're usually killed pretty quickly by other demons, so they prefer to hide their abilities in the human world and live as normal ningen, if they can pass as normal. But if this mutt of yours has survived this long, add that shouki into the mix and I think we'll agree that there's someone else involved in this."

"But you said it was a demon. What demon would want to keep a hanyou alive?" Kagome asked. She didn't really know how to connect those pieces. Then, she remembered that she should have asked Youko about InuYasha as well – they had fought, after all.

"I'm only saying it felt mostly demon, Kagome, not that it was a demon." Kouga clarified, looking quite serious and a bit unnerved. "It passed through these parts very quickly and then vanished before we could pursue it. But if the hanyou thinks you're his dead woman, you'll see him again, that much is certain. Just make sure to call me if he continues to harbour delusions about that." Somehow, Kagome found the term "wolfish grin" very fitting at the moment, brief as it was.

"Um, I'll remember that." she said with a slightly uneasy smile. "But about that miasma cloud – when you say it felt like demon, do you mean it was another hanyou, maybe?"

Kouga shook his head, but it was clear he wasn't completely certain. "No, it wasn't a hanyou like the other one. I'd have to get a closer look at it. I'll tell you when I see something."

"I'd greatly appreciate that." Kagome said earnestly, happy that she could finally raise Kouga's spirits with sincerity.

She was really sorry that she didn't quite feel the same amount of affection for him, but she couldn't bring herself to crush his hopes openly. Besides, demons had this strange policy of thinking that unless a female had a mate, she was up for grabs. Having Kouga sort of dealt with any problems that could potentially arise from that, but it also meant that she had to be very careful about what she said.

And, eventually, she had decided that it might be easier on them all to carefully get him together with Ayame – not the investigator from Reikai, but another wolf demon, one that had attempted to kill her when Kouga had announced to her that she was his fiancée. Now, she and the second Ayame were on relatively friendly terms, as the she-demon understood that Kagome was not romantically interested in Kouga. It was simply a matter of getting Kouga to understand that as well, which might, admittedly, take some time. However, once the serious discussion was over, the priestess hastened to ask about Ayame before Kouga could resume his planning of their life together.

It was Kouga's turn to look a bit nervous, but he covered it up as quickly as he could with a semi-carefree expression. After all, Ayame was nowhere in the vicinity. "You always care so much for inner-tribe relationships, Kagome. Don't worry about Ayame. I'm sure she'll understand why I picked you… one day, at least." he added, noticing that Kagome seemed less than certain of that and blissfully ignoring her brief look of disdain.

The priestess decided not to delve into the matter at the moment. She had enough of her own problems to be dealing with at the moment. She withdrew her mirror from her robes, checking it. Power was restored about halfway, but it still wasn't enough to call anyone from Reikai. With a slightly angry sigh, she stuffed it back into her pouch. They would have to stay for the night, most certainly. Idly, she wondered just why Youko was being so relatively obedient at the moment.

Kouga, who had been looking at her for a few moments, managed to guess what she was thinking about. "Don't worry about the fox. If he tries anything, the men will be able to at least detain him long enough to wake you up and you can make short work of him then."

"I thought you'd want to be the one fighting him if the need arose?" Kagome asked, surprised by the strange uncustomary chivalry.

The wolf prince shrugged. "If you prefer. Right now, he's your prey; you caught him. But if you want him in pieces, no trouble for me. Might be easier to transport him to Reikai like that, anyway."

"No, no." the priestess interjected quickly. "I want him alive." _You _want_ me, huh? _she pictured Youko retorting with an irritating but strangely not lecherous grin. This was getting to her head; she really needed him _gone_. _You _need_ me, then? _Quiet laughter in her head. She almost thought it was actually him and not her twisted imagination. "He could help me with solving the problem of the pure wish."

"Still no ideas for that? Ah, a shame. You have too much honour, Kagome and I love you for that." Again, the priestess felt blood rush to her face and colour it. He always said that and she kept wondering just why he believed it. After fifteen minutes of knowing her – _kidnapping_ her, in fact – he had decided on that fact. "One would think that after so many centuries, you'd just dump the jewel on Koenma. You know, maybe there isn't any completely pure wish." Kouga suggested. "After all, everything can be viewed from two sides of the story, you know. Neither good nor evil exist in an extreme form, as both are points of view, really."

"I can't think like that, Kouga-kun." Kagome shook her head. "There has to be a way. And maybe this InuYasha could be a solution. I've heard some really sad things… and disturbing things as well. There was more to the story than just Kikyo dying, you know. There was…" and there she stopped. "There was another demon… involved… what if…?"

"Tell me." Surprisingly, he was capable of a rather gentle tone.

"Have you ever heard the name Naraku before, does it mean anything to you?" Kagome asked, getting an idea. After all, Sesshomaru had said that Naraku might still be alive. What if that demon was the one who had been involved? She could think of no one else with a personal interest in InuYasha and laid out that theory to Kouga.

The ookami considered it for a moment. "It's a possibility, but I wouldn't bet everything on this one guess, Kagome. The mutt might not have anything to do with it at all. It might all be just a ploy to get closer to you. You know, if someone saw you with the dog or knows you take interest in him at the moment, they might be only using him as bait. It doesn't have to have anything to do with an old story."

But somehow, Kagome was convinced that her theory was correct. She would have to go seek out Kagewaki Hitomi again to make certain that Naraku used such a method of transportation, but she was reasonably certain that it was a possibility. She talked with Kouga for another half an hour, mostly finding out things about the tribe. It had been a few weeks since she had seen any of them last, but fortunately, it wasn't enough to lessen her skill at evading the not so vague hints that she should finally come and live with them. It was pointless to argue with that logic.

The night went about peacefully enough, though Kagome slept very little. For one thing, she was still anxious about everything that was happening… another thing was that she wasn't used to sleeping on only a few furs instead of a proper bed, though it was clearly Kouga's private "residence". She was grateful nonetheless and was up very early in the morning to find that the wolves were still patrolling around, though most of them seemed to be away. With a thankful feeling for his helpfulness, she looked around for Kouga, but didn't see him anywhere.

As she didn't find him, she proceeded to the other inevitable thing. That being facing Youko for the second time. She was allowed into the cave without problems – the guards were relatively sleepy anyway – and she immediately found herself staring. If there was anything she had not expected a cave to be, it was filled with all sorts of plants and flowers. Actually, with the holes bringing in sunlight, it seemed that she had wandered into a meadow at twilight rather than a dark, gloomy cave. In the midst of the plant life, she couldn't really make out the kitsune, but his presence was there, as the flowers were clearly his doing.

"I see you're a light sleeper." Kagome jumped a bit and whirled around, only to find herself about two feet away from the fox demon. Up close, the priestess was rather prettier than most young girls who chose to dedicate their lives to the shrine were, though she had that annoying air of righteousness about her. "I do hope your visit has a purpose."

"I wouldn't want to give you free opportunities to annoy me." the priestess retorted, a bit crossly, but less than she would have been otherwise. "But I am surprised to see that you are still here. I would have assumed that you had broken free the moment I had left."

"Again, those assumptions of yours." Youko said, and it was unclear whether his lips formed a smile of mischief or a smirk of superiority. Nevertheless, even the priestess noticed that he had a more cordial expression whenever speaking with her than when facing others… though she wasn't certain that she liked that. "Rest assured that your wolf friends are not what keeps me here."

Kagome frowned again. "And what is, then?"

"Well, aside from the obvious entertainment you provide, I happened to – by chance – overhear part of your conversation with the ookami." The priestess felt her eyes widen. There was no chance that he could have hearing that good! But it appeared he did, because he continued. "And the part about the creature called Naraku caught my interest. You'll be pleased to know that I am considering supporting your theory about him."

What if… dearest kami-sama, it hadn't been him in her head after all? But he didn't seem overly smug about something else than what they were talking about, so she decided to convince herself that it wasn't the truth.

"Why does Naraku interest you?" Kagome asked, frowning.

Youko hesitated for the briefest moment, but apparently decided that there was no harm in revealing that particular bit of information. "After sending you away, your hanyou put up a fight when we faced off. I managed to defeat him, as he had no idea of the full extent of my power."

Kagome didn't really want to think about the fact that she didn't, either. "But he's alive." Finally, she gave the closest thing to a smirk she could muster. "Do you actually have compassion in you?"

"Don't be ridiculous on purpose, Kagome, it isn't your style."

"Why have you taken to addressing me so familiarly?" she demanded instead of searching for a good retort to that.

Being outsmarted each time was not amusing, though the kitsune apparently thought otherwise. "I could call you a number of different things, but I think your name has a rather nice ring to it. I must say, for a priestess of so many years, you are rather easily infuriated." Kagome didn't know whether to be flattered or outraged, so settled for the average glare. "You don't use honorifics with me either and partnership means equal status, no?"

"As far as I know, I haven't even used your name to address you even once." The priestess noted a bit snappishly. "And if I recall correctly, _Kurama_, we are not partners, certainly not yet anyway, and you haven't finished your story about InuYasha yet."

At the mention of the dog demon, the kitsune scowled slightly. "A rather peculiar name, isn't it? Perhaps it serves to illustrate a valid point about our canine friend. However, as I was saying, he escaped thanks to the same cloud of miasma that the ookami mentioned passing through here. I believe I got a better glimpse of it than the random wolves around here and, alas, I have to agree with the wolf. It was something demonic yet not quite. But it clearly knew the hanyou, otherwise it wouldn't have bothered to save him."

"So you think that it was Naraku?" Kagome asked, forgetting for the moment that she was having a discussion about classified Reikai information with the unlikeliest of demons. "No other demon would have a reason to save InuYasha… none that I know of, anyway."

"Assuming your information is correct…"

"Now look who's assuming things quickly." Kagome´s victorious expression slipped when she received a half-indulgent, half-amused, but clearly full smile instead of an answer.

"… then your theory might be accurate. But there is some truth to what the wolf was saying as well. Perhaps this third person – Naraku or whatever other creature it was – is using the hanyou to localize you. Dog demons have a sharp sense of smell and if you resemble this dead mate of his, no doubt he will attempt to seek you out on his own without any augmenting. And with your inability to kill him…"

"I am able to kill him!" the priestess interjected, "But I would prefer to avoid that, if at all possible. I was sent to stop his rampages, not take his life."

But apparently, the two things were the same to Youko, as he didn't bother argue with that. "I will search for these two creatures as well. If I discover them before you do, I shall kill them both."

"There is no need for that!"

"You aren't a demon, thus your views are different. They interfered with our battle, which is enough for their lives to be forfeit."

Kagome scowled this time. "It wasn't much of a battle. It was trickery, nothing more." Trickery that had nearly cost her too much, she recalled with a pang of bitterness, but then shut that impulse out. "So you will help me?" she asked, attempting to sound kinder than she felt at the moment. To her utter surprise, she got a more physical reply than she had expected, as she was suddenly scooped up into the arms of the fox demon, whose face went stern. "Hey! I thought we were past the kidnapping part!"

"I _am_ helping you." Youko hissed at her. "Now hold on, we are getting out of here."

"Why? What's going on?" His demonic senses must have picked up something she had missed, she realized.

"The smell from outside matches that of the youki of the one that saved your pet dog." the kitsune noted, and they were out of the cave before Kagome could comprehend the words. Outside, though she didn't sense it, the smell of blood was dominating the air and almost obscuring that of the youki. Youko stopped outside for a moment, but this time, the priestess didn't struggle to get back to the ground.

The wolves were all in uproar, but the familiar cloud of miasma – familiar at least to Youko – was nowhere in sight. At first, even the attacker wasn't, as the wolves seemed to drop dead on their own accord, slashes of gigantic blades appearing on their bodies, dismembering and decapitating them in turn. Only then did a strong wind strike the place where Youko and Kagome stood, an unnatural wind with its own energy, and both of them finally spotted the attacker, who was airborne. But it couldn't be Naraku, Kagome reasoned. After all, she had been told that Naraku was a man. And there, if the only identification was the fan, was a woman in a decorative red and blue kimono, who then jumped down to the ground from her transportation – an overlarge feather.

Her eyes, devoid of pupils, were brilliant scarlet in colour and she targeted Kagome almost immediately upon landing. "Hmpf. I hope you'll prove more entertaining than these wolflings, miko… though _you_ get ten points for bettering the scenery, fox boy." the she-demon noted as her eyes swept Youko, returning his icy glare with a smirk.

"Who are you?" Kagome demanded, regretting very much that she didn't have a bow at the moment. Asking what the woman was there for would be rather pointless.

"I am Kagura, the wind sorceress." the youkai noted in her husky voice, glancing back at Kagome with a not too friendly mix of amusement and malice. "I was supposed to confiscate any Shikon Jewels you might have, but I see you're sadly lacking in that department at the moment. I guess the bastard knew it, though, so your head will have to suffice as proof of a job well done."

"Naraku?" Kagome blurted out before she could catch herself, earning herself a raised eyebrow from the wind witch.

"My, aren't you a clever one. I honestly don't see why he bothers with the likes of you." A wolf attempted to attack Kagura from behind, but was thrown away with one large jolt of wind. But then, when it was no more than a corpse, headless, it rose back to its feet, along with countless others, and began fighting the wolves that were still alive. "Now don't move too much. I wouldn't want to ruin your pretty face when I slice your head off."


	9. Elegantly ensnared

Well, what do you know? A quick update! But this will most certainly not last, as I also have to get back to my other story, which I hope to finish within the next few months. By the way, things are certainly getting complex here, aren't they? If you have absolutely no idea where this is going, don't be sad.

Just a hint, though: the jewel will remain in one piece throughout the entire fic. There's too many of those stories where it gets shattered again and again. This one is different.

Insert evil laughter here.

PS: A thankies goes to goddess on earth for recommending the story!

X X X

**Elegantly ensnared**

X X X X X

"Trust that little voice in your head that says "Wouldn't it be interesting if..."; And then do it."

- Duane Michals

X X X X X

It turned out that Kagura was not much of a talker when battle was concerned.

Kagome was reasonably certain that were she on her own feet, she would have had no chance of evading the wind blade the witch's fan produced almost at once, aiming for the kill, because she didn't even notice the moment when Youko made the move to jump away. All she knew was that her neck was the target, thus she quickly lowered her head. The kitsune vaguely took note that Kagome buried her face in his shoulder to avoid any kind of impact, which was both distinctly unhelpful and not entirely unpleasant.

With his arms occupied with the weight of the priestess, he couldn't wield his whip properly and it would be a struggle even to draw the correct seeds with the reigen to look after. Besides, the witch wasn't giving them even a second to breathe, bombarding them with one attack after the other. While he could withstand the impact, it was questionable whether the body of the priestess could withstand it as effectively.

Seeing the uselessness of that approach, Kagura changed strategy and sent a heap of undead wolf demons flying forth to crush the pair a bit and thus make them hold still. It was effective – the demons flied from all directions, making the only escape route ducking, which would be useless. The kitsune seemed to be about to do something, but before he could do so, a sphere of shimmering magenta energy surrounded them, repelling the bodies of youki-driven wolves and rendering them useless.

Kagome raised her head again, her expression a bit more determined than before and her will focused on maintaining the barrier even though Youko kept moving. As if was a wall of holy energy, however, the kitsune knew well that his own weapons would likely be repelled at best, destroyed at worst. He saw the face of the witch darken after her eyes widened when the first impact didn't work and she began sending blade after blade at the force field, only to see it repelled, which seemed to anger her still. She left the wolves to her puppets and focused on them alone.

Youko made a quick calculation in his mind. The kaze youkai was relatively strong, but her chances against the barrier projected by the priestess were mediocre. But with the barrier in place, there was no chance of an offensive move from him, and thus they were in a relative stalemate until the energy of one of the females would run out. Personally, he didn't intend to wait that long for anything.

_Listen carefully. _At least the priestess didn't flinch much at the sudden mental communication, having experienced it before. _I want you to lower the barrier when I say so._

_I can hold it as long as needed. _Kagome thought, hoping that the reply was audible, just as another wind blade crashed into the spiritual wall. The barrier didn't move an inch, partially due to the anger the priestess felt for the kaze youkai. But she didn't argue with the kitsune, because she was, admittedly, curious about what he intended to do when the barrier was down. Of course she knew that without her arrows, she couldn't help in the offensive, but still…

She stopped projecting the hollow orb of her energy around them at the signal only to almost lose control entirely. Oddities were something of a routine in the life of the priestess, but she had never before seen plants grow at such a speed before and clearly, neither had Kagura, who barely managed to jump out of their way. Some leaves struck her, but only scratched parts of her kimono, which did certain harm to her vanity.

In the meantime, Youko dropped Kagome, though at least she landed on her feet, and moved out of the range of her yet to be resumed barrier to fight the witch. The priestess, a bit stunned by the whole speed of things, didn't resume the barrier. Instead, she spotted a rickety bow and a set of arrows near some of the dead wolves that were truly dead, as they were almost literally only a bloody mass on the ground.

Someone yelled her name and a sharp object grazed her cheek before she managed to dodge it – one of the undead wolves tried to behead her with a chain-sickle. Fortunately, Kouga was back by then and it had been him who had called her name and kicked the offending youkai away before he could get a clear shot at the priestess. But there was no time for conversation and the two got separated again.

Meters away, it took all of Kagura's focus to keep avoiding the deadly rose whip, until she was finally forced to jump back from a particularly fierce lash. "Well, aren't you a persistent one." she noted, a lot less playfully than before. Not only was the demon in her way, he was actually both fast and strong, which was a bad combination for her at the moment. Ten points for view, minus million for helpfulness.

The kitsune made no answer other than an unwavering stare until finally, the long-contained smirk spread through his face as Kagura realized too late that her hand stopped mid-wave of her fan and remained fixed in place. She tried another move, but even as she targeted the priestess, only a mild swirl of wind appeared and vanished instead of the full-blown tornado she had intended to produce.

_Can't move… damnit!_ "What have you done to me, bastard?!" she bellowed, discovering that her vocal chords and facial muscles were still functioning. Her entire body seemed to have turned into a statue down from beneath her neck and without the ability to move, it was almost near impossible to create her wind.

Her fan was knocked out of her hand with a lazy flick of Youko's whip and the undead wolves collapsed, one by one, like rag dolls. The fox demon caught the weapon and the whip was also pulled back, like a thorny snake, morphing fluently into a rose in full bloom that he returned to its safekeeping place with a flick of silvery hair. The wind witch cringed a bit when Youko approached her, with the confidence of a hunter collecting wounded prey, which wasn't that far from the truth.

"Fascinating how quickly the death plant takes root, isn't it?" he asked, almost delicately. "Paralysis is the stage when the seed is secure and ready to bloom. I only need to give the word and it will kill you instantly, so be careful about how you beg for life."

Meanwhile Kagome, who had managed to get to the bow and arrows, ran towards the whole strange scene. She didn't know or understand the details, but it was clear as day that Youko was the one in control. Kagura looked less than superior for the first time since her arrival and her fan was now in the kitsune's possession. She also seemed to be struggling against some invisible manacles and chains, and Kagome finally spotted a breach in the witch's youki, replaced by another's energy, and she saw a few leaves growing out from underneath the folds of Kagura's kimono. That appeared to be what was causing her distress.

The wolves around them were only beginning to understand that the fighting was over, as they either searched for dead comrades or glanced at them warily, wondering if they would get up. But Kouga, for one thing, wasted no time doing that. He saw the fox and Kagome together, which alone wasn't a good combination, but he also noticed the third figure, which was clearly the creature that had attacked them. With surprising authority, he stepped in before the witch could retort.

"Out of the way, fox. This bitch killed my comrades; her head's mine." the wolf prince said, his eyes meeting Kagura's with rage.

"Wait, Kouga-kun, we need her to speak!" Kagome tried, but Kouga didn't even look at her this time, almost as if he was trying to kill Kagura with eye contact alone.

"Forget it, Kagome. I won't bargain with this lowlife. Moreover, she stinks of that miasma, so she's no ally of yours. Killing her will rid us of a common enemy."

She had never seen Kouga mad like this, but she had to make him understand. "But she knows Naraku!" the priestess persisted. "She's just a minion, Kouga-kun, it's Naraku who ordered this; he's the one we have to catch!" Kagome actually glanced at Youko, as if looking for support, but she found none. Vaguely, she saw the kitsune shake his head ever so slightly, though whether it signified that she was to let it be or that Kouga was a fool, she couldn't say.

_But you know this won't help at all, that it's only a waste, honour or not, enemy or not! _she thought furiously, in hopes that Youko would care to look into her thoughts again. She didn't understand the limits of such powers.

Momentarily, she wished that she could use telepathy herself. All it got her was that the fox demon's eyes met hers briefly, but they seemed slightly opaque, as if he himself was lost in thought. Then, sharply, he looked up and took a step back from the group. Kagome was the only one who noticed and also glanced upwards, her gasp alerting both Kouga and Kagura to the newest development.

A horde of demons, like a giant cloud, eclipsed the sun, the sky, everything. They were not in the least bit human, these creatures, and they were primitive for the most part, but certainly their numbers were intimidating. The wind witch was momentarily forgotten, but Kagome was the first one who readied her weapon. It wasn't like her own bow and the arrows felt a bit different than her own, but she wasn't complaining. At least she wasn't helpless anymore.

The tip of the handmade arrow began glowing with a pinkish light, like a barrier, and with a twang, it was sent soaring towards the nearest demons, who let out ear-piercing shrieks as they were purified and vanished. It was a time for desperate measures, as there were far more demons than they had anticipated. The priestess took two arrows at once and attempted to steady them in between her fingers. Their combined force was enough to repel the demons that got too close. It seemed the blast finally woke the wolves from their reverie, as they attempted to return into attack mode.

The horde managed to cut the others off from Kagura, still immobile courtesy of the death plant, which she struggled to overthrow. Strange wasp-like insects also followed the demons, but they didn't seem keen to attack, merely to observe. But even as they all fought, Youko spotted the purpose of the demons – they all seemed to want to act like a shield between Kagura and the rest of them. Someone had sent them to save the witch… not knowing that her life currently depended on his will.

Knowing that the witch would be returning to her master with only news of failure could perhaps have allowed a weaker soul to let her escape with just that humiliation. Youko held no such beliefs of mercy. Perhaps the body of the witch would be enough of a warning shot for their cowardly friend to make him understand that he was in danger of making serious enemies.

For the briefest moment, the witch caught his eye, and for the first time, a glimmer of fear appeared in her crimson orbs.

"Die." Youko said under his breath, and the expression of terror froze on Kagura's countenance. There was no hint of superiority in her when leaves sprouted from underneath her skin, breaking it, breaching flesh where vital organs were meant to be, ripping her kimono to shreds. Her eyes still wide-open, her body finally free of her paralysis, the sorceress was left gazing blankly at the sky.

There was a deafening roar from some of the nearest demons and they quickly soared towards the body, somehow picking it up and soaring away. In the attempt, only a few of them avoided Kagome's fired arrow, causing the body of the witch to plummet to the ground before being caught by the strange wasps. One of the insects picked out a feather out of her hair and enlarged it as the witch had done previously, so it seemed that a great garland of multicoloured flowers was soaring away.

While the ookami tribe took care of the final remnants of the demons, Kagome watched it soar away, knowing that she couldn't follow it right now. She lowered her bow with some disappointment. Someone had come to her side; she assumed it would be Kouga, who would likely be livid at not being able to exact his revenge, but she discovered that it was actually Youko, who also watched the disappearing insects.

"We leave, now." he said in a far more commanding tone than she had ever heard him use, but it was also very natural. Perhaps it was the first glimpse into his more standard personality she was getting. "We are too much of a target now that someone has discovered our location." The kitsune spared a glance at Kouga, who was nearby, his right leg slightly injured from the battle, crouching near a dead wolf demon, his face very grim and sorrowful. "If you care about Kagome, give her some sustenance for the journey and let her depart. Her presence here endangers her and all of you."

Kouga looked up, his face filled with silent rage, though it was unclear whether the attack or Youko's words were the cause. "Let her go… with you? I don't trust you as far as I could throw you, fox. What makes you so sure I'll trust you with her? For all I know, this might just be an elaborate set-up. You weren't having much of a hard time with that Kagura from what I saw."

"That you cannot take a lowlife like her is not my concern." The kitsune seemed to sneer without his expression changing the slightest bit.

"Kouga-kun!" Kagome's voice interjected and the priestess approached, her face more concerned than angry. She was unhurt, it seemed, and her clothing was only a bit dirty from when she had thrown herself for the bow. "He had no chance of knowing we would encounter your tribe. And he had plenty of opportunities to attack any of us more effectively. Besides, Kagura confirmed that it was Naraku who sent her! Kurama is right; I endanger you all by my presence. I have to go."

"Kurama now, is it?" Kouga echoed, but it was not a jealous reaction. It seemed more like a warning to Kagome. After all, being on first name terms with an enemy of a few hours ago was hardly customary.

That is, for most people. "It was hardly different when we first met, remember?" the priestess noted, giving a half-smile. "But I can't ask you to leave the tribe now. Moreover, I need you to do what I asked of you if… if it wouldn't be too much trouble now." The wolf prince looked intently at her for a moment before giving an almost absent-minded nod. "So… I have to take my chances with him." she said, sparing a glance at Youko, who seemed to be watching her closely.

Within the hour, the wolf demon tribe watched as two silhouettes vanished from their mountains. In particular, Kouga watched the smaller of the two figures, who eventually either gave into coaxing or was too weary to argue with clear logic and climbed on top of the other's back, likely to keep his arms relatively free. The terrain of the mountains certainly wasn't easy for anyone without enhanced acrobatic skills to cross. Kagome only hoped that she wasn't prone to seasickness.

Admittedly, it was somewhat of a comfortable way of travelling. For one thing, she didn't tire herself at all, then there was the fact that she would have never been able to keep up with Youko's speed on foot. And – though she would never admit it to anyone, least of all the fox demon – once she got used to the feeling of having his hair brush against her face at times, it was actually quite nice. The strands made silk seem like the cheapest rags in terms of touch and shimmered faintly when in a strong light.

They had only one fight, that being hours after their departure, when Kagome asked for a break for some food. She really didn't notice the moment when her communication mirror was taken from her, but she heard the audible snap of plastic being broken and turned to see bits of it on the ground after being crushed by one of Youko's plants.

"What did you do that for?" she shrieked, but knew without a doubt that there would be no repairing the device in their current conditions.

Youko paid her hysterics no heed, merely made the plant vanish again and took care to step on the broken pieces of the mirror when approaching her. "I've been wondering how come the witch managed to track your position so quickly, Kagome. I'm also rather inclined to think now that the wielder of the Cape of No Return or whatever object sent us here was intending to send you to a particular spot, but the chaos and my intervention broke their control over the magic and resulted with our being transported to a random location."

Truly, she hadn't given it that much thought. "Don't try to change the topic; it changes nothing about the fact that you broke my one link with Reikai! Now am I supposed to contact them to send their agents to open a portal for me or get Botan to pick me up?"

"You miss my point. It should have been nearly impossible to locate us within such a short time, even you, with your unique aura. Yet the enemy managed to do so within a day." Youko explained, frowning and not really looking at the surprised priestess. It rather seemed that he was merely thinking out loud, not actually expecting an answer.

Still, Kagome tried to think about it from that point of view. "I suppose that _is _odd. Perhaps we just landed in the vicinity of the intended place – a stronghold of Naraku, maybe?" she suggested.

Youko's gaze was very intense when he was thinking about an important matter and Kagome found herself avoiding it. "Kagura never actually mentioned Naraku's name." he retorted, "She merely taunted you. It could be that you are only assuming things again."

"No." Kagome shook her head in a very pigheaded manner. "I'm certain that Kagura would have taken the opportunity to laugh in my face if it wasn't true. She didn't give a start at the name. If she didn't know it, she would have reacted differently."

Perhaps she was imagining things, but for a moment it seemed that Youko was playing along with her theory only to indulge her. "I don't deny the possibility. Regardless, whoever it was that targeted the jewel and your life was either very close or very well informed. The former is doubtful. To discover you, they would have to have access to something that determines your location. Such as the signal coming from that mirror." He nodded towards the broken purple fragments and useless wires.

"But… that would mean they would have to have access to the files and equipment in Reikai, in Koenma's palace." Kagome said, vaguely horrified by the thought. She forgot about Naraku and her theory entirely. "That's impossible! No demon can just walk into Reikai, let alone the palace, undetected!"

"I take it you understand why I took the liberty to dispose of your mirror." Youko noted, a bit less seriously, and the priestess nodded.

"Yes, forgive my reaction, but… I still don't know what I'm supposed to think about you."

A brief glitter passed through his eyes, though it didn't necessarily make the kitsune less intimidating or more approachable. "Ah, your wolf's description of me no longer suits the situation from your point of view?"

Kagome nodded, looking up at long last. "You never said you'd help me, you know. You only said that you'd kill Naraku and InuYasha when you encountered them."

"How perceptive of you; I see you might have picked up a few things about vague answers from me." Youko looked surprisingly pleased about the matter, but didn't comment on it. "But I do have an interest in your well-being for the moment, at least until you leave Makai this time."

"Why?" It was the simplest question and yet she couldn't think of what kind of answer she expected to hear.

The kitsune shrugged with a natural grace that was entirely enviable by anyone who had ever experienced the embarrassment of tripping or knocking something over. "Think of any answer you like. I can think of at least a few; professional pride that doesn't allow me to let others meddle, common short-term goals regarding the hanyou… there are various explanations. Think of the one you prefer and believe it. It is as true as any other."

But the priestess was still wary. "And which of them is true according to you?" she asked, wording it delicately. Though she had chosen to take her chances with the kitsune, she understood very well the danger it involved.

It took her completely off-guard when Youko closed his eyes momentarily and let out a rich, deep chuckle that both made her feel like a scolded child and somehow managed to ignore that notion.

"Your thoroughness is admirable, but misplaced. I have no need for your trust. But this turn of events makes your case my business as well. It is as they say; the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And I believe we had a temporary truce."

"Yes, temporary. I just wanted to know if our definitions of that word are the same." A pause. "Are you saying you consider me a friend now?"

"Now, really, Kagome, that is just childish. You split the world into friends and enemies, black and white. Perhaps I am not your enemy now, but that doesn't make me your friend."

But the priestess surprisingly almost gave a half-smile herself. "I wasn't expecting you to say you were. But, well… you're most probably the first demon that went from wanting to take my head to helping me. I think that makes you a near-friend by any social standards. Just don't let it go to your head." At least her colour change remained predictable when she received an amused glance in return, but she held her ground surprisingly well. "So do you know where we're supposed to go from here? Because you sort of destroyed the only navigational device I had."

"Technology can be flawed and outwitted." Youko said, rather dispassionately. "There isn't the slightest need for your concern. Even if I didn't know the way, I have means of finding out." The priestess gave a nod and finished her fish. It was nothing like the dining halls of the palace in Reikai had to offer, but it was satisfying nonetheless. "If you have finished eating, we should move. Staying in one place for too long only helps possible pursuers."

"Wait!" The kitsune stopped in his tracks just as he was about to go examine the surrounding forest beyond the clearing a bit. "It's night already and you've been running for hours. Don't you need rest?"

Was this… concern?

For the first time in a long time, Youko was slightly confused. The concept of such a sentiment was unfamiliar, especially as no one had ever expressed it to him, certainly not in any situation that didn't involve possibly mortal wounds, not that that had yet come to pass. How unusual, but it didn't seem that the priestess viewed it as such.

"I will have to rest a bit eventually, but I believe I will manage for at least several more days." And how strange that she viewed _this_ unusual. Demon stamina was clearly superior to that of humans and even reigen, but judging by her surprise, he had underestimated the difference. "It would be perhaps best if you remained on my back for the rest of the journey. Hopefully, the constant movement won't deprive you of too much sleep." he said, on a lighter note.

Kagome fidgeted a bit. Despite the surprising chivalry of the gesture, she didn't fancy being carried around like a bag. However, logic was against her. She had witnessed the speed of the fox demon first hand and she honestly couldn't keep up.

If there was something that could break the awkwardness of the moment when she resigned on finding a better solution and stood up to approach Youko, it certainly wasn't the slightly smirk-like smile that was most visible in his eyes. Somehow, it was more intimate than when Miroku had groped her upon their first encounter – something he regretted later – even though thus far, Youko's hands had never ventured half an inch beyond the acceptable point.

Within the hour, Kagome's head was resting on Youko's shoulder, the priestess sleeping soundlessly, almost as if she had complete trust in her companion. Youko didn't dwell on the matter. Currently, he was more concerned about what course of action to take. As Kagome was devoid of the jewel at the moment, there was little point in keeping her and keeping the near-promise instead would likely serve to grant him some trust from the priestess, more so than his doings up till that point.

He hadn't expected that level of cooperation from her or such a… well, it was nothing if not open-hearted, her approach. It was as if she was ready to trust the slightest display of kindness. For someone so powerful, she had a very blatant weakness. One that could cost her more than she knew. If he were to gain her trust, it would prove very easy to manipulate her and then, perhaps, the first-time-failed simple trick could work under different circumstances.

Once or twice, he glanced at the slumbering priestess, who was almost weightless, and also much easier to get along with when silent. Her deceptively simple surface raised a great many questions and just when he thought he understood the pieces, the combination as a whole proved to be a mystery. This had never happened to him before. Perhaps it was because to be so readily trusted when faced with need was a new experience. Her differences from demons… and her similarities as well.

There was something escaping his attention and thus his comprehension, though not because it was concealed, but because it was on display…

Well, he would have at least several more days of observations to figure his pretty new puzzle out. The current plan was to reach the estate where the entire thing had started – there it was neutral ground and there, Reikai agents could come to the priestess instead of the reverse. And then, whatever it was that drew the priestess to the conclusion that he was at least trustworthy would likely function to his profit this time.

He didn't have to understand to see usefulness, after all.

X X X X X

It was twilight at his palace, but Naraku needed no sleep. Instead of resting, he sat near the window, gazing out into the darkness. His blazing eyes seemed to penetrate the darkness on their own accord, though he could not care less about what happened outside.

Within moments, another figure appeared in his rooms, small, child-like, emitting no presence, no power, but still there. A mirror in her white hands, the girl stopped before the dark-haired man, holding the surface of it for him to see. At first, it reflected only the man's pale countenance. Then, the image shimmered and change, revealing several things.

The first to appear was the swarm of demons being destroyed, Kagura's injury and then, the flight of the insects and the injured, dying witch among them. But then, it showed the faces of the three most powerful adversaries the witch had fought, of which only one interested Naraku. The priestess with the stolen face. Or had Kikyo been the copy? This creature was ancient but in certain ways, less wise than the dead priestess had been.

Such a fragile thing, Kikyo, like the flower after which she had been named. So easily crushed, inwardly and outwardly, by the hand of the abomination which had claimed her heart.

In a mind's eye, he saw InuYasha in the darkness below the palace and sneered. The hanyou had little sanity left, but his will remained, the will that was the only thing keeping him from the abyss and keeping him on the right track. With the image of Kikyo planted in his mind, there was hardly any stopping the hanyou when it came to his pursuit. A bloodhound. How fitting.

The priestess would never have a moment of rest while he was on her trail and if anyone could find her and catch her, it was the hanyou.

But not even Naraku had counted with the continued involvement of other demons and recognized the problem that lay in that. The wolf was no obstacle. The fox could aid one side greatly, if his own agenda could be kept at bay. But from what he had witnessed, it would be difficult to convince him to switch sides. Had he known, perhaps he would have sacrificed even InuYasha. He had miscalculated. But it was of no consequence.

What mattered was that the Shikon no Tama would be his, one way or the other, and anyone who would stand against him would be destroyed.

He had waited centuries. A few more months meant nothing to him.

Let them believe that they were secure. Let her wonder when the shadows would strike out at her. Let him search through the darkness to no avail.

Their faces in the mirror, so close to each other and to him, made him almost want to shatter the image. But he was not one to be easily angered by a temporary charade in his own game. He was practiced in such dealings, after all, wasn't he? He, as always, held the ace: complete knowledge of the playing field.

And how ironic that of all the players involved in the game, he was the only one who knew and told only the complete truth.


	10. Foundations for the future

I absolutely love the reviews, so keep them coming, please! Hopefully the main protagonists are still as IC as ever – both are difficult to write, as they each have two distinctive traits that are a bit hard to combine on the long run– the playful personality and the cool approach in Youko's case and the slightly childlike firecracker persona and the kind and wise priestess with Kagome. And none of that can be overdone!

And when you look at those contrasts, I think you all understand why this can hardly be a love at first… eh, kidnapping? Well, something of the sort, anyway, hehe.

Here you go… if you dare.

X X X

**Foundations for the future**

X X X X X

"The colour of my soul is iron-grey and sad bats wheel about the steeple of my dreams."

- Claude Debussy

X X X X X

Passing time on a journey through the depths of Makai turned out to be surprisingly easy for Kagome, even more so than she would have ever expected.

Once the primary awkwardness on her part lessened – or, rather, once she got used to the situation and decided to ignore it – it seemed the priestess had absolutely no qualms about taking about anything and everything. There was an initial carefulness about it, but she seemed to want to make good on her words of the first day.

She seemed to take delight in finding that the fox demon was knowledgeable in every area she touched with her words, from the very foundations of the Three Realms to the most trivial daily occurrences.

For example, she had asked him to explain about the Cape of No Return and such devices of teleportation to better understand how they had ended in their predicament and received a surprisingly lengthy and interesting summary of the history attempts to create such devices – that they were known under various names, but this was the most commonly used one, and there had yet been discovered a full-proof means of teleporting anyone or anything to an exact location without the use of a medium; a cloth, in this case.

And it was also nice to see that he took the effort to reply to her questions – usually, people tried to ignore her when she rambled on. Instead of being annoyed, the kitsune couldn't help but marvel at her chatter. She seemed tireless when she found a willing listener – or, at least, one who had no opportunity to refuse. Tuning her out after some hours was an easy but useful skill nonetheless.

She seemed more of an enthusiastic little kit than an ancient priestess when a subject took her interest, which was almost always, as she selected what to speak of. And therein lay one of the things Youko didn't really understand about her. If he had one reason, that being a serious one, for actually listening, it was that he was still trying to figure her out. It was neither astonishing stupidity nor reckless bravery that had led to this change of attitude towards him; he had ruled those two out the very first day. But the reason continued to evade him, which was irritating enough.

"But how can you be satisfied by merely stealing things?"

Perhaps it was an attempt to influence him somehow – in which case it was very naïve – but it seemed more like the mind of the priestess couldn't comprehend the idea. She always saved the more serious discussions for her eating breaks and she had gathered a bit of food for herself on her own. At first, she had offered part of her fish to Youko, only to be graciously refused.

"Isn't it more of an achievement to get what you want by triumphing against the odds?" It was a bit amusing to see her ponder these things with a child's simplicity, especially when munching on a piece of fish.

"But you have just described what my area of expertise involves. It is my intention to overcome the obstacles to my goal. All the better that the arrangement occupies my time, hones my skills and is sufficiently profitable." Youko was a bit irritated with her simple-minded belief in her own ways, the only lifestyle she knew. He was being patient with her, but Kagome noticed that if she was too stubborn in a belief and prodded too deeply, the effect was as if she had been hurled head-fist into a wall of ice.

Not only it wouldn't budge, but it was also very, very cold. Most of the time, Youko maintained the cordial if teasing manner he had presented to her at first. It only served to keep Kagome wondering whether that was really his true nature or whether she had glimpsed beneath the surface when they had left Kouga – the frightening sight of a statuesque creature, beautiful and cool, without any concern for anything save for his plans.

All right, there; she was able to admit that he was attractive. That changed nothing about her taking an example from his act and also maintaining her guard, if only occasionally, beneath her carefree nature. She still hadn't forgotten their first meeting that had been fortunately interrupted by InuYasha. Besides, if she didn't talk, she would remember exactly why she shouldn't relax around Youko Kurama and stress was deadly.

Kagome gave an inward sigh. She supposed there was really no use trying to go with the whole "be good" routine for any demon in particular. It was just their nature to be bloodthirsty and cruel and, in a way, it was necessary – in the Makai, you could either kill or be killed. There was no chance of avoiding that circle. But she still rather thought that it was a waste of an intelligent person, demon or not.

"So you steal just for the sake of stealing and getting better at it? I'm sorry if that sounds boring to me."

Youko gave a small, wry smile that made the priestess feel as if she were a child arguing pointlessly with an adult, despite that not being the expression's intention… hopefully. "Yes, that does sound rather boring, doesn't it? But there is no need to worry about that. I do have grander things planned once I have amassed enough power and resources." There was something chilling in the way he said it, though his voice was still relatively casual.

"And what might those be?" Kagome asked, her tone wary for the first time.

"That would be telling, wouldn't it? There is absolutely no need for you to trouble yourself with that. There is ample time before such plans can be carried out." And he set out on his own again, leaving her to eat in relative silence.

He tended to do that when he didn't want to discuss a certain subject – neither stopping her nor scolding her; he simply either walked away or stopped paying attention to her. By then, the priestess had finally figured out just how Youko managed to always know where he was going, although it was still a theory only. But if he could actually talk to plants as she believed, he might really have more luck tracing down Naraku than her.

With each sentence, Kagome was discovering just how profoundly different Youko was from her and from anyone she had ever encountered in her lifetime, which was saying something, considering that she was getting close to the half of her seventh century of existence. Whenever she was alone – which was rare enough throughout the time they spent together – she contemplated what kind of plans he might have. It struck her that he might actually want to supplant one of the Makai Lords, which was a daring but somehow fitting goal for someone like him. When she came to that conclusion, she actually suggested it to him.

"Am I right?" she couldn't help asking in addition.

The kitsune glanced back at her and Kagome momentarily had the feeling of being entirely naked, at least in terms of emotional defences.

"It is a possibility." he said after a moment. Again, he saw that key piece of the jigsaw escape him neatly. Why did she care about such things? The priestess usually dropped a subject as soon as her interest was exhausted, which was often very early.

"But why?" There it was, the interest, the prodding, but strangely, he wasn't offended. But he wasn't interested in answering such questions either.

"When the time arrives, the how will be of more importance than the why." Youko answered vaguely and it seemed that the priestess was on the verge of some line she ought not to cross, thus she dropped the subject for the time being.

The area around them was changing steadily, from deep forests to mountains to steppes to wastelands… Kagome could barely keep track of it. But eventually, she began to recognize the landscape and realized that they were getting closer and closer to their destination. It would likely be no more than a day until they would reach the outskirts of the settlement where Kagewaki's estate stood and once there, she could contact Reikai and get someone to bring her back to the palace.

The priestess felt a twinge of disappointment at that. She realized that though she had spent a full week with him, almost the entire time closer to him than she would perhaps like to be, she still knew next to nothing about Youko. They had gone over their theories about Naraku, InuYasha, Kikyo, she had related to him how she had met Kouga for the first time – she could still vividly recall his carefully concealed amusement when she had told him about how Miroku and Sango had gotten assigned to her and how they interacted at times, but for most of the time, it had really been her talking.

"What is your favourite colour?"

Had they been on a rocky terrain, Youko was certain he would have tripped. Fortunately, he was just about to allow Kagome to "dismount" and go get whatever food she could find in the wilderness. She was surprisingly resourceful about that and this clearly wasn't her first trek through Makai. But this was the first of her many questions that genuinely surprised him.

"My favourite colour?" he repeated, just to be certain his hearing was not somehow impaired. He had noticed that Kagome seemed to have taken a liking to his ears, though she didn't admit it out loud, but he was yet to detect any kind of damage or molestation regarding that.

"Well, yes!" Kagome huffed when a gracefully arched eyebrow rose in delicate doubt. "We don't always have to talk about the fate of the universe now, do we? I hardly know anything about you as a person and since I doubt the great Youko Kurama will confide any of his precious secrets in me, I'm asking something completely random and irrelevant I can claim to know about you if anyone asks." All that came out of her very quickly, as if she was making it up as she went along. Improvisation. A good skill to have. "And I dare you to say red!" she added threateningly.

"And how can you be certain this isn't one of those precious secrets you mentioned?" Now he was just being annoying on purpose. "I have never given such a… delicate question much thought. And why am I not allowed to say red?"

Kagome shrugged slightly. "Because hearing about demons always like blood is boring."

"Not every aspect of life is meant to be exciting. But you see, what if I consider this too much of a personal question?" Either he had taken a liking to her short temper or he simply enjoyed annoying the hell out of her with his vague answers.

For a moment, it seemed that colour would rush into her face and she would be the one to start a one-sided shouting match. Then, as abruptly as that came, she clenched her teeth in annoyance, only barely keeping herself from bristling.

"Fine. Be that way." the priestess muttered, sitting down on the nearest rock. "This is what I get for trying to be friendly."

And that was exactly what he didn't really understand about her. Why was she doing this? It wasn't as if they had resolved to cooperate because they wanted to create any kind of bond between them. But she seemed to understand that… and yet she still…

"You misunderstand. Expecting people to trade something for nothing is foolish; you must have a counterpart to give if you cannot steal your objective or persuade the other side into giving it."

Kagome blinked. "Is that a very long way of saying you want to know what my favourite colour is?" she asked, hoping she hadn't missed anything.

How such simple things could temporarily lighten his calculative nature, Youko had no idea. "That is the general idea of it, but I think I'll pass. My life doesn't depend on the knowledge."

"So you only want information that will be useful to you in some grander scheme?" the priestess suggested, shaking her head a bit. "That isn't very smart. For all you know, my favourite colour could be the one weakness that renders me powerless."

"I seriously doubt that." Youko noted.

And, surprisingly, Kagome actually gave a grin. "You've right. But still, you never know. Intelligence without imagination isn't worth much. You might never find the best way of utilizing your capabilities if you don't give yourself room for a few utopias and consider other alternatives than the logical ones. I have that theory tested, trust me." She seemed to be about to wink in mischief, but thought better of it and instead added an answer to the question he didn't pose. "And just in case you ever want to know, my favourite colour is green. Which is one of the benefits of being forced to be around you – loads of green even in life-threatening situations. Especially in life-threatening situations." she amended.

The kitsune didn't know what to say to this, thus remained silent, watching her briefly before walking off into the forest again. He was getting increasingly flustered with his own inability to understand the priestess, especially as she seemed to carry her heart on her sleeve and lacked the slightest bit of subtlety. He had thought that within two days, she and the journey would both grow tedious to him. And now, even after sufficient observation, he hadn't reached a satisfying conclusion about the priestess. He didn't like it, but it was more than certain that they would meet again and then, perhaps, after the whole business with Naraku or whoever had interrupted their battle was over, he would be able to see her true intentions in battle.

Kagome stared at the spot where Youko had stood moments ago, not understanding a thing. She wasn't worried that he wouldn't come back – he always did – but the reaction just surprised her. Now admittedly, the kitsune was an unpredictable creature, but he had never outright walked away mid-discussion. He usually ended their conversation with some witty remark of his own that completely wiped her off the table before taking his leave. And this time, she had had the last word. It was as strange as it was uncustomary.

Moreover, he hadn't told her what _his _favourite colour was.

"Cheating thief." she muttered to the bit of mushroom she had left and frowned. She knew she should have proposed a game of truth or dare – without the dare part. Then he would have to answer.

What she didn't know and somehow didn't occur to her was the suspicious lack of demon attacks in the recent week.

Admittedly, they were almost always on the move, but during these breaks, she sensed no demonic aura nearby save for that of the kitsune. She didn't dwell on it much. Of course, Youko was of a different opinion when it came to precautions. Whenever he left the priestess to take her rest, he cleared out whatever demons there were in the area, strong or weak, usually without a direct confrontation to make it as quick as possible. The last thing he wanted was Kagome to use her powers – even without the jewel, she was so distinctive in Makai that youkai were drawn to her, but a use of her holy arrows would likely only alert demons in a very wide radius to their short presence.

This time, it was merely a group of low-class beasts, but their proximity to the estate was surprising. He didn't suppose the houshi and the taijiya remained in the palace, as they still had the jewel and the monk was too weak in terms of purity to employ the full protection of the jewel. But perhaps the taijiya had been left behind, just in case Kagome would return. The demons carried nothing of use, but they appeared to have slain two of the resident purple-and-blue uniformed guards that had been patrolling the perimeter. It gave Youko an idea upon which he acted immediately.

Kagome had long since finished her mushrooms when he returned and momentarily forgot her annoyance with him when she saw the relatively intact samurai-like light armour the kitsune dropped at her feet, complete with a helmet. She glanced at the heap of clothing, then at him, and last of all, at her own outfit. The week in the wilderness did not do it much good. There were scratches somewhere, dirt in a few places, and had she not managed to find a river to jump into and bathe – fully clothed, both because the fabric was in danger of beginning to smell and because she had certain qualms about undressing with Youko in the vicinity – it would have had to be discarded even earlier.

Not that there had been an alternative, mind you.

"This should allow you easy passage into the estate without anyone you do not wish to encounter noticing you." the fox demon explained, clearly seeing her initial confusion. Kagome realized only then that he was going to leave her - he had no intention of coming closer to the estate when she could cross the short distance on foot within the hour now, if she hurried. "If you put some effort into concealing your aura, you should be able to avoid early detection. That way, anyone with a keener sense of smell will only detect my scent. It is to be expected after prolonged physical contact." Perhaps he wasn't being boastful about it or smirking, but Kagome really thought he was enjoying watching her squirm under his gaze. "You should be able to pass for a demon if you do not dawdle and go straight to your destination."

The priestess gathered the lower layers of the outfit into her arms and then sent a pointed glance at the kitsune. "Do you mind?"

Sensing a new opportunity for observation, Youko tilted his head in interest. "Not at all, please proceed." How fortunate that looks couldn't kill. "You yourself said that you wished for us each to know something about the other that no one else did and I'm perfectly content if this is your way of fulfilling your end of the bargain."

Not even a week of enduring this could possibly prepare her for this. "You're twisting my words. I never said anything of the sort!"

"Ah, but can you be certain?" Youko noted calmly, raising a reproachful finger at her. "Besides, I wouldn't want a dangerous demon taking you by surprise and weaponless. Someone has to watch your back. Or your front, whichever you prefer." It was all just meant to tease her, Kagome knew, but that didn't stop her from being at least as mortified as Sango when Miroku caught her unaware. Literally, of course.

But being a priestess, she tried to be reasonable. After all, she wasn't quick enough to slap him and didn't want to cause him permanent damage… yet. "My short-term memory isn't that bad " Kagome said, seeing that her best stop-teasing-me-or-face-purification look was not exactly working on the kitsune. Apparently, he had some sort of reason for believing that she wouldn't do it. "At least turn around if you insist on staying here!"

Her suspicion that this was purely for her personal irritation was confirmed when Youko complied with her request without a word of protest. She wasn't sure what was worse – when a man actually meant such things or when he was merely using them for a laugh at her own expense. For someone so loud and talkative, she certainly was swift and silent when she needed to be and she changed in under a minute. Youko observed her critically after she gave him "permission" to look at her. Permission – as if he had ever asked for or needed it. But he had obeyed this time; after all, her physical appearance was hardly the most interesting aspect of her. Though admittedly, it didn't damage the overall impression.

With the uniform in place, the sword at her hip – the primitive bow and arrows would be discarded, naturally – and the helmet in place, she would be able to pass for a demon warrior. She was slightly short and the armour could have fit her a bit better, but in general, when seen from afar, no one would be too suspicious of her.

The kitsune gave her appearance an approving nod. "Good. Once within the walls, waste no time and go speak with the lord whom you seem to trust. Secure the jewel and get out of Makai until you recover some useful information."

"And how am I to contact you when I do?" Youko almost blinked. They hadn't agreed on that. Actually, he hadn't planned for anything of the sort to happen. The arrangement was to hunt and destroy InuYasha or Naraku – both, possibly – making it a kind of race that would be beneficial for both of them. He had never suggested that they actually team up for the task.

Moreover, it was astonishing that she was prepared to share classified Reikai information with him, time of need or not. "I have told you that I will kill the hanyou and his master if I encounter either of them and that I will make an effort to search. It should be sufficient reassurance. And if there is anyone in Reikai with the means of tracking people down through some means, I have no intention of giving them an opportunity to target me."

Inwardly, Kagome sighed. Demons. How could someone so smart be so thick-headed? Couldn't he just accept that two heads were better than one, especially when one had access to the complete Reikai archives? Was that a male thing?

"His name is InuYasha, and I wish you wouldn't just kill him like that. I'd like to know more about Kikyo and Naraku, but well, I guess he was pretty much half-mad and running rampant, so I guess there's little point in it… but still, don't kill him unless you have to."

"If you have something to trade his life for, I might consider it." Youko remarked, with a certain coolness that would have probably made him a very effective businessman in the Ningenkai.

Kagome frowned. "I have no guarantee of you being trustworthy. You did cheat on the favourite colour question, you know." she said, slightly reproachfully.

"Yes, I see your way of judging the honesty and trustworthiness of a person is infallible." The kitsune noted once his memory was refreshed as to what she was talking about. "Regardless, unless there is something to be gained, there is no point in taking hostages. Those are worth something alive and the hanyou is currently worth nothing."

"Very well." the priestess gave up with a sigh. "But will you at least let me know if you happen to kill either of them."

If it had been strange to temporary join forces with Youko, it was even more peculiar to part with him, to stand there, not knowing what to say, because there was no telling what might happen when they next meet. One thing was for certain – this was a new one. A number of farewells passed through her mind, none fitting enough as parting words with someone like that, neither enemy nor ally. Then, without a word as well, Youko took out something from his robes and tossed her the object. Kagome caught it – it was Kagura's fan. It was more of an object for research than a parting gift, and when she looked up again, she was somewhat unsurprised not to see the kitsune any longer.

That the fan disappeared mysteriously from her bedside soon after when she went to get some proper food didn't surprise her as much as it should have. But in its place was a batch of flowers, growing literally from the wood of her table. Kagome stared at the sight for a moment before biting back a laugh. Somewhat unnerving, but also simple and poignant.

Foxgloves.

X X X X X

There was a general wave of rejoicing when Youko returned to the settlement of the thieves that night, more so than one would expect from a group of brigands and outlaws. Others might have proclaimed their leader dead after a week of absence and fought for the position amongst themselves. But those that had been on the gang for over a week knew better than to presume things without proof regarding their leader. There was a general loyalty, if only to the kitsune, among the thieves, whose symbol he had become.

And some of the older ones remembered those in centuries past that had been foolhardy enough to try such a coup and the rather unenviable ends they had met.

Besides, Kuronue was doing a solid job as a temporary substitute, it turned out, as the bat youkai was among the first to greet his comrade. But he was also relieved to see Youko back without as much as a scratch on him, though that was likely to be expected when one had healing powers. The only problem was that he had to get a bit insistent to get Youko to tell him a short summary of his side of the story. The bat was slightly awed, though he showed little of it, and gave what he heard an approving nod.

"And how did you fare?"

The whole conversation took place in the privacy of Kuronue's dwelling in the village. Not that they didn't trust the men when it came to getting the job done, but this wasn't something for their ears.

Kuronue frowned, an uncustomary thing, as he recalled the events of a few days ago. "There was a great uproar when you vanished." he explained, leaning against the wall for support. "Obviously, no one recognized you, but everyone saw the priestess disappear. The two reigen were fending off some of the demons when the guards joined in. I ordered the men to withdraw – and almost everyone got out alive. One saw the jewel on the houshi, I think, because he lunged at him and got hit by an ofuda. Plenty of those got thrown around, so no one dared get too close and then the taijiya started clearing the perimeter with that boomerang thing. Not a pretty sight."

"Loot?" Youko asked simply after nodding.

"A few souvenirs from the confused crowds; I let the men keep them. Nothing interesting." At least it would raise the general morale, as the raid didn't seem to have been as effective as they had hoped for. Still, information on the Shikon no Tama was always useful – Kuronue was a bit irritated that no one had had senses sharp enough to sense it on the monk, though he could admit that it was a rather creative strategy.

The only thing that made a few questions rise was why exactly Youko had allowed the priestess to return to Reikai when she had literally been within his grasp. They could have bartered her for the jewel… she was an old reigen and the spirit world was filled with soft-hearted fools that would likely be more than gullible enough to trade her for the priceless Shikon no Tama… or, at least, give them an equivalent of its worth in gold. They could afford it, after all, Reikai needed no money, as there was literally no other business running there than the sorting of dead souls and dealing with the few odder occurrences that came along with that.

Paperwork, all in all. And they had a few good treasures hidden behind their palace walls, from what he had heard.

Of course, the fact that the priestess and the monk were permanent residents and both had the power to purify the flesh off a weaker demon's bones and send even the remains to oblivion wasn't a comforting thought, but there was always a risk to take and a gamble to make if one wanted to gain and profit from something. Kuronue was aware of that and had a bit of a gambling streak himself.

"Very well." Youko nodded curtly. It had all gone relatively according to plan, or as much as they could hope for under the circumstance. Who would have thought that an intervention from an enemy would actually help him get closer to his goals? Maybe he should actually thank this Naraku for the help before killing him. He intended to make good on his promise to hunt and destroy both of them, Naraku and his guard dog – he likely would have killed them anyway, the hanyou because he was a disgrace and the other creature purely for spite.

The only thing that kept him wondering was why exactly the wind witch had smelt the same as the miasma cloud. It was impossible that she had been the source of the miasma – had she possessed such powers, surely she would have employed them in their battle to get rid of the death plant within her body. Besides, she had used a different method to remain airborne, which alone was proof enough that she and Naraku weren't the same person.

Perhaps she was a descendant of the bastard? But that was also questionable. Blood relatives among demons usually shared similarities in scent, but not to such an extent. The scent of the witch and that of Naraku was identical… yet they weren't the same person. It wasn't a question of shape shifting, he was mostly certain of that. No, there was something else at work here and somehow, he had the distinct feeling that that Kagura hadn't been the last of the creatures Naraku would send after the priestess in his stead.

"I just hope you don't intend to stop the rest of the operations to start searching for this Naraku guy." Kuronue said warningly, knowing that when his pride was insulted, the kitsune was more than capable of going to some lengths to make an example of the offender.

Fortunately, it didn't seem the case this time. Or perhaps he simply considered the enemy below his notice at the moment. "Nothing so extravagant, of course not. I'll simply keep an eye out for anything unusual. I am not petty enough to take anything in battle personally, but you know that I do not stand for trespassers when business is involved… and besides, that sword the hanyou was carrying seemed somewhat powerful. It could be worth something if we acquire it and maybe his puppeteer has more such trinkets."

"Now you're speaking my language." Kuronue grinned, relieved that Youko was back to his normal self. He had heard tell of that sword before and it had been one of the things Kagome had – perhaps carelessly – discussed with Youko. Of course she knew little to nothing of its powers, but the moment Sesshomaru's name had been mentioned, Kuronue knew that there was a reason to get the sword from the inu hanyou. If they weren't careless when talking price, the taiyoukai lord would likely pay them more than a sufficient sum for the family heirloom his fully mad half-brother was currently disgracing.

The bat youkai paused briefly. "So, what now, then?"

Instead of an answer, Youko tossed him Kagura's fan. "I want the men to memorize this scent. And I'll want the head of anyone whose stench even remotely resembles it."

X X X

_AN: _Hints of KagYouko-ness, ahoy!


	11. Spirited strategies

I need to say it again – I love reviews! So I'm rewarding you all with an early chapter! (cough) A bribe! (cough) Even if I don't have the time to reply at times, guys, know that I read and cherish every single one. I'm actually quite surprised that you believe I tackle Youko (pun absolutely intended) so well. Subtle irony might actually be my thing. I don't want to turn him into a Sesshomaru rip-off, but as he's described to be cold as ice by people who knew him – say, Yomi – he can't really be a pacifist that changes in a snap because of Kagome.

This chapter features the returning of several important characters, though I'm sad to say that it's Youko-less this time. I have to deal with the ongoing situation from two separate points of view now, so this one is Kagome-centric. The next chapter will be Youko-centric, so there's a good chance that it might be Kagome-less.

Enjoy the return of Koenma and a brief appearance by George.

X X X

**Spirited strategies**

X X X X X

"Who asks whether the enemy were defeated by strategy or valour?"

- Virgil

X X X X X

Before the trophy fan was even placed on the table at her bedside and had a chance to disappear, Kagome had to return to the estate, which was a bit more dramatic than she would have liked. She passed through the perimeter easily enough and attempted not to look overly suspicious as a guard, though she really didn't understand why Youko insisted on the disguise now that she thought about it. That didn't mean she was ungrateful, though.

Making it into the main hall, she found Sango in conversation with Kagewaki, a very morose look on her face that vanished the moment the priestess removed her helmet in front of them. Kagewaki himself looked surprised, but then he was too preoccupied by catching and supporting the whole weight of Hiraikotsu, which Sango released and dropped to be able to launch herself at the priestess with a loud cry of her name. Kagome had never seen Sango weep with joy before, especially not into her shoulder.

"Kagome-chan! We were so afraid…" Sango sobbed into her armour. "What happened to you? Koenma-sama sent out special units to randomly search for you, but they had no luck. B-but you vanished into thin air!"

And so Kagome quickly explained the concept of the Cape of No Return to the slayer and Youko's theory about it – without mentioning the kitsune just yet. It wasn't that she didn't trust Sango or that she didn't think her friend deserved to know, but somehow, with others in the room, it felt unfitting to speak of such matters. It was classified information, after all.

When Sango partially released her, she saw Kagewaki have a pair of servants take the heavy boomerang away and approached them to offer his sympathies as well. He then frowned upon taking in Kagome's attire, which he hadn't really paid attention to previously.

"Kagome-sama, might I ask how come you're wearing the uniform of my guard?" he asked, though it was questionable for whom he was concerned, judging by his expression.

"I encountered some problems on the outskirts and my weapon was unusable, so I had to borrow this." She touched the sword. "The guard was, unfortunately, already dead when I got there, but his armour was intact, and I didn't want to attract too much attention here." It was a plausible explanation, at least she hoped so. For a moment, she was almost afraid that Kagewaki's frown deepened and he was about to remark on the fox scent she was most certainly giving off. To divert attention from that, she showed Sango Kagura's fan. "A wind demon that attacked me used this as a weapon. What do you think it's made of?"

Sango unfolded the fan and waved it a bit. It seemed ordinary enough, but still pulsated with power. "This is… bone." the taijiya said, examining it more still. "And demon bone, I can say with certainty, as it feels a bit like Hiraikotsu."

"I noticed it had its own youki." Kagome nodded.

"Where did you get this?" Sango asked, "Wind demons usually don't just attack randomly, not with this power level. Where did the Cape teleport you to?"

"Where the Birds of Paradise fly." Kagome said cryptically, but the slayer understood. She and Miroku had been with Kagome during the incident when Kouga had captured Kagome to force her to use the Shikon no Tama to destroy the vicious enemies of his tribe.

It had, after all, been the first time when the jewel had allowed a demon contact with the priestess – and his intentions turned out to be purer than he himself might have thought, as eventually, he proposed to Kagome… sort of. In a way that didn't necessarily require an agreement on her part.

Kagewaki watched them both with an unreadable expression, but he seemed to understand that they wished to discuss private matters. If nothing else, he was very polite to his guests.

"I'll have servants escort you to a guest room until I can contact Ayame-san in Reikai personally." Kagewaki bowed slightly to both of them and left almost immediately through a private door.

After the first real meal Kagome had eaten in a week, the two women followed a servant to their room, which they had only seen briefly and put their weapons into – the estate was larger than it appeared, Kagome noticed, and Sango said that it was actually just part of the whole complex. It seemed that Kagewaki-san had truly built his own citadel in Makai. The fan was gone, Kagome noticed, but hid a laugh from Sango, who likely wouldn't understand the pun. But the slayer was now a lot happier than before and though she was still a bit grim, she explained what had happened in Reikai ever since the disappearance of Kagome.

"Koenma-sama was livid, and I mean really. I don't think I've ever seen him… well, freak out that much." Sango explained. "Once he found out that the plan backfired like that, he decided to punish houshi-sama, as it had been his idea, after all. We had the jewel secured, but it wasn't as clear as when you had it and… well, losing you to a plan that had been that risky in the beginning was a major let-down. I think houshi-sama was as terrified as I was about what might happen to you, but it could have been his fear of the punishment as well."

"Spankings as usual?" Kagome asked, feeling some sympathy for the monk. Perhaps it was because of the nature of the form Koenma took, but spankings were a severe punishment in Reikai, and among the most feared ones. While it was hardly lethal, after experiencing it, one ceased to doubt its effectiveness. Still, Kagome thought Miroku wouldn't really mind if it wasn't ogres who usually performed the punishment.

Sango nodded gravely. "Yes, more than I could count… for every day of your absence. It was rather drastic. Plus, he has your jewel duty to cope with – well, just don't be surprised if he'll be _very_ happy to see you." There was a hint of distaste in that, directed completely at the monk, and Kagome hid a smile. "Anyway, Spirit Defence Force members should be arriving soon, I sent them a message myself that I needed pickup." Despite the demon slayer having the weakest spiritual abilities of the three of them, all of them focused solely on enhancing her physical fitness, it was Sango who got on best with the SDF and even had quite a few friends among them. Finally, Sango frowned at the priestess. "But… why didn't you contact us or anyone, Kagome-chan? We wouldn't have worried so and would have sent help at once."

A slightly sheepish expression appeared on the face of the priestess. Sango was very good at interrogations, especially those she didn't really mean to start, be it with guilt or with pain. And Kagome didn't really feel completely at ease with concealing such a crucial aspect of her disappearance from the best friend she had.

"Well… you see, my communicator isn't actually intact anymore… I was sort of forced to… you're totally not buying this, are you?" the priestess said, her face rather flushed when the taijiya's eyebrow rose visibly.

The previous worry forgotten for a second, Sango's features softened with something close to a smile. "Not really, no. But I'm concerned for you, Kagome-chan, so as long as you're back, I don't think anything that happened on your journey back here will upset me. Of course, I was wondering if I was going to learn how come you crossed such a distance at such speed. Unless they moved much since I last saw them, the wolf tribe lives far away from here. Besides, you acted a bit differently than usual. It's just guesswork."

"Well…" Kagome hesitated – but Sango was entirely trustworthy and, besides, she felt she should tell someone, at least. "I'd like to keep this off the record, if at all possible, Sango-chan." And so Sango was told the full story, though she didn't appear to share the bright outlook on the situation the priestess tried to maintain.

"Kagome-chan… has it occurred to you that he may have purposely wanted you to be cut off from Reikai so you could be more easily kidnapped?" the taijiya asked carefully.

Kagome nodded grimly. "He could have done that, but he didn't. That is the key point, Sango-chan."

"But why?" Why, indeed? The story about common goals and any possible reasons didn't convince the slayer as it had the priestess. Something was amiss with it, but she couldn't see that far ahead to predict what the demon might have planned. "I don't think I need me reminding you how dangerous this youkai is, Kagome-chan."

"I have seen some of his powers and I know the foolishness of attempting to take him by surprise. I know how dangerous he is. But something… I don't know, something was different this time."

Sango shook her head. "I'm not talking about powers in combat, Kagome-chan. Do you see now? Fox demons specialize in trickery and illusions. You can never trust your eyes around them – sometimes, not even your senses. That is what makes them so dangerous."

"So you're saying he…" Kagome didn't like the word, but there was no alternative. "Charmed me into believing him?"

"It's a possibility we have to consider. I know your instincts are sharp, Kagome-chan, and I mean no insult, but you aren't used to dealing with this kind of demon. I can't claim to be an expert on kistune myself, but father always said to be on your guard when facing one. Even the weakest fox demon possesses sufficient ability to confuse humans and, contrary to all standards of aging, they strengthen the older they grow."

So that was what he meant by having time for any grander plans, Kagome thought. He wanted his strength to increase even more before taking on more challenging opponents. And at the current stage, he was already dangerous…

"Just how much can he still strengthen?"

Sango sat down in their room, biting her lip for a moment and watched the servants bring in Hiraikotsu before answering. "I didn't want to tell you this, but after you disappeared, after the battle was over and most of the demons were dead or gone – you'd be surprised how even the strong ones run from a single ofuda – I caught one of Kurama's men in the confusion and got what I could out of him before he tried to run and houshi-sama got him permanently." Kagome could vividly imagine an enraged Sango bashing a demon's head into a wall to get answers out of him. "It amounts to almost nothing, as these thug types seem to have some sort of twisted loyalty to him, but from what I pieced together from his threats, Youko Kurama has a major power growth potential. Enough to threaten the temporary power balance that Makai has… within some time."

"You've given this quite a deal of thought, I see." the priestess said, her tone praising.

"He caught my by surprise once – it simply won't happen again." Sango said plainly, shrugging a bit. "Anyway, houshi-sama helped too – we have a combined theory about the fox demon having three pairs of things he wants to amass as a thief – wealth and resources, renown and followers and, last but certainly not least, power and skill. I think you understand the rest. We pieced it together, but I just gathered the bits and pieces of information, really."

_When the time arrives, the how will be of more importance than the why._

_I see the how, but I don't see the why._ Kagome thought with the slightest twinge of irritation. She was puzzled, really, because she believed there was some deeper reason behind Youko's plans than just ambition to rule that all demons seemed to share, even when they possessed not the slightest ability to be effective – or lasting – rulers. Or perhaps she just wanted to believe it, somehow.

"Well, you two have certainly done your homework." the priestess said, doing her best to wipe the image of the fox demon's eyes from her mind before she could get a lasting headache.

"We were worried sick." Sango said, fidgeting a bit on her seat. "I hope Koenma-sama doesn't kill you for making us worry so. I think he himself was more concerned than he let us believe."

"Well, death is nothing new for us, is it?" And they laughed, as if they had not a care in the world.

The Spirit Defence Forces from Reikai arrived within the next two hours, during which Kagome had the chance to reject a spotlessly clean yellow kimono brought to her by one of the servants. After all, the armor she was wearing was clean as well and she had certain qualms about both accepting expensive gifts from someone she barely knew and about wearing a heavy kimono in general.

Not that it wasn't pretty.

But she had intended to speak with Kagewaki anyway and this was the perfect reason to start the discussion and, moreover, even remember that she had wanted to ask. She left Sango to deal with the introductions with the team that arrived to create their passage to Reikai while she approached the dark-haired demon.

"Kagewaki-san, I don't mean to trouble you, but I'd appreciate if you could tell me everything about Naraku that you know. Anything you remember, like, was he able to use his own miasma as a method of transportation? Did he know a woman named Kagura?"

The demonic daimyo's expression darkened. It was, admittedly, a lot of information to process.

"Kagura, you say?" he deliberated the best way to answer her question. "As far as I am aware, Naraku preferred working alone and without subordinates, even. But, as I told you, I have no way of being certain that I knew the full extent of his webs. I have never seen him with any kind of female servant, if that helps you, but that was before Kikyo-sama had died. I'm sorry I cannot be of more help on that matter. As for the rest, I could tell you things, but…" His burgundy eyes swept the group of Reikai agents chatting with Sango, preparing for the command to start the portal-creating process. "I suppose none of us wishes to make the darker parts of our history the topic of rumors."

While it wasn't exactly a preferable answer, Kagome could understand that. She rather thought she would react the same way in case someone would ask her for gory details about the demons that killed her many lifetimes ago.

"I see." she said, still somewhat disappointed. "Thank you anyway."

"I'm not saying that I will not help you." Kagewaki said with a less serious expression, his eyes studying her closely. "I will provide the information I can through Ayame-san or a personal meeting with you, if you happen to have the time someday."

"I might not, but I'll try to arrange things so that I can meet you when you have it ready." the priestess said solemnly, gratefully. "I'll be thankful for anything you could give me. But my communicator isn't actually intact any longer, so I think you should try giving the information to Ayame-san."

A nod. "That will be no problem."

Kagome bit her lip momentarily. "I, uh… well, I hope you don't mind me keeping the uniform for now. The guard won't need it anymore, I guess and I can send it to you later if you want me to…"

"Kagome-sama, if it serves you well, keep it. It certainly is no shame to have you wearing those colours."

"Kagome-chan!" Sango called the priestess, and it was then that she realized that the agents had finished their conversation and were really only waiting for her now.

Kagome made a slightly sheepish face and mumbled an apology and bowed in farewell. Kagewaki returned the gesture with a smile of amusement playing on the corners of his lips, and watched her walk towards the other reigen, who were already in position.

The uniform-clad agents raised their arms in unison, aiming at a single spot in the space of the hall. Beams of energy emitted from their hands and they began to generate a circular opening in reality. It was a much faster method of transportation than the manual travelling method Kagome and Sango usually used, though it required more people, more energy and attracted more attention from anyone with the faintest supernatural senses. A similar tunnel to the Ningenkai would have required more power, but the general effect was the same – a temporary opening that would allow them to pass.

The other side of the tunnel was unsurprisingly the palace in Reikai, but Kagome narrowly missed crashing with the nearest ogre carrying a stack of papers. Of course, it wouldn't be her luck if she didn't crash right into the next one, forcing him to begin a little juggling show before he could regain his balance. The priestess hastened to apologize and help, but before she could, Koenma's favourite punching bag, George Saotome, let out a happy cry and tossed his papers aside to rush towards her and give her a tight and slightly awkward hug. Sango laughed under her breath.

"Kagome-san!" the blue ogre exclaimed. He always addressed the three special agents with the honorific, though after several centuries, it was based primarily on the appreciated sympathy they often offered for the drawbacks of his job. Kagome felt her feet get lifted from the ground and her upper arms were pressed rather uncomfortably to her body. "Thank goodness you are back! Koenma-sama has been a nightmare since you vanished! We've had spanking orders every day for most of the staff without any good reason! Not that it doesn't happen every day anyway but this time it was far more frequent and nasty!"

Kagome tried to say something as he rambled on, but could hardly summon enough air into her lungs to survive, let alone speak. Fortunately, Sango stepped in, tapping the ogre on his shoulder. "Um, George… Kagome-chan needs air, I think. And if she suffocates, I can guarantee Koenma-sama will subject you to a lifetime of spankings."

At the mention of such a possibility, the ogre let go, cringing and yelping at the same time, apologizing rapidly to Kagome, even straightening the crumpled fabric of the sleeves of her haori with hasty motions. Afterwards, no one stopped them with even a single word while they approached the office of the Reikai prince, though there were welcoming glances all around them and some of the ogres even stopped their hectic routine for a few moments to offer a smile.

When their knock went unanswered, Sango and Kagome entered nonetheless, only to find the office in its usual state, the tiny figure of Koenma stamping paper after paper rather furiously. George skipped in after them, happy that the first glare Koenma offered was not meant for him. The glare actually turned into stunned surprise and then almost jumped atop his own desk.

"Kagome!" Koenma exclaimed, throwing his seal away, leaving George to struggle with catching it. "Where in Limbo have you been hiding?! Do you think I can just let you vanish from a mission without permission?! If you had the jewel with you, half of the Makai demons would have been on your tail before we could even start looking for you! If I weren't so glad to see you I'd sentence you to a hundred spankings right this moment!" If Kagome wasn't the target of the yelling, she would have likely been concerned whether the pacifier wouldn't hit her straight in the face after such a forceful end.

With a slightly nervous expression – for in a way, a toddler's rage was far more frightening than the highest level of demon – Kagome apologized quickly and mentioned that she was back.

"And I don't plan on disappearing again any time soon." she said reassuringly. In her youth, she would have gladly entered the shouting match, but after some time on the job, she had realized that arguing with Koenma was like pouring oil into a fire. "I'm really sorry I gave you that much trouble, but I didn't have any control over that bump in the plan."

"Well, that doesn't matter right now!" the Reikai prince dismissed the matter in somewhat of a huff. "I'll be expecting a full report on what happened later on, but I've got a pile of paperwork and new jobs on the line for all three of you! And just where's Miroku?! He has the damned jewel! All three of you were supposed to be here for this meeting!"

"Um… you sentenced him to spankings, Koenma-sama, remember?" George cringed when the punch of a tiny fist was faster than his reflexes and made contact with his skull.

"WELL DON'T JUST STAND THERE! WHY HAVEN'T YOU FETCHED HIM YET?! IS YOUR BRAIN JUST A GRUESOME DECORATION THAT WAS REMOVED DUE TO ITS LACK OF ARTISTIC TASTE?! GET ME THAT MONK!"

Sango took a step back from the noise and Kagome was prepared to cover her ears in case the scene continued. Fortunately, Koenma seemed to have satisfied his desire to yell at people and hit them after that and once George scurried out of the room in a hasty retreat; he sat back down behind his desk. Kagome gathered a few of the papers that had slipped from the pile amidst the commotion and put them back to their place.

"On to business." Koenma said, adopting the proper business-like tone. "Sango has already reported that they had gathered some information that might be useful for future encounters with this Youko Kurama. As the plan for his capture obviously didn't work out, I'd suggest you let the matter be for the moment if you've already taken precautions. We can't afford to waste time on chasing every single demon that crosses your path. Now, Kagome, any progress on the case of the mad demon?"

A twinge of irritation passed through Kagome. "His name is InuYasha and he's actually a hanyou. I guess that's why your surveillance picked up his presence so quickly. And no, no real progress in tracking him."

"I have a question, Koenma-sama." Sango piped up. "Is this really our business? I understand that we intervene at times with the goings-on at Makai, but this hardly sounds like something that poses a threat to Reikai control expansion."

"This has nothing to do with expanding our territory anymore. You're certain that this guy's only half-demon?" Kagome nodded. "Then he's definitely our concern."

"Because he's half human?" Sango guessed, connecting the pieces. "But his demonic side seems to be fully in control at the moment, right? His blood has taken over completely, which means he has been in too many life-threatening situations and thus has no real control over himself anymore. Shouldn't he be treated like any normal demon, then? I'm certain that if he makes trouble in the territories of the Lords, they'll take care of him in our stead."

"If only it were that simple, Sango."

The door opened again, George holding it to allow Miroku to enter. The young monk was hunched and clutching his back with one hand like a person with serious rheumatic problems would, though it was clear that his hand would have ventured lower, if it wasn't too painful for even that. In any case, for once, he didn't make a frontal assault on Sango's backside, which alone was testimony of him being in pain.

"Kagome-sama, you have no idea how delighted I am to see you again." he rasped, "Could you please take the jewel back? I have it around my neck, but I don't think we're a good match, the Shikon no Tama and I."

Kagome hurried to the suffering monk and located the desired object around his neck. Instead of being its usual shade of light lilac, the jewel seemed to be filled with mist that shifted from deep mauve to hints of puce here and there within moments. When the priestess took it, it not only brightened back to its shimmering pinkish shades, but Miroku himself seemed to have gotten rid of a great migraine.

Of course, that didn't mean his physical fitness had been restored to him, but he seemed to have gotten a fresh wave of enthusiasm. "Thank you ever so kindly. I have no idea how you can stand it, Kagome-sama. It's a gigantic pressure on one's psyche, to carry such a burden even for a short time."

Sango blinked. "I helped you put it on before we started this and I didn't feel a thing."

The monk tried hard to cover his sheepish face with an expression of serenity. Unfortunately, he failed miserably. "The contact was too brief to cause any effect reminiscent of pain or vague discomfort. A more lasting contact with the jewel would have surely led to such sensations."

_He's actually impure. _All the other people in the room thought that simultaneously, their faces morphing into deadpan expressions.

"Moving on," Koenma continued, glaring at Miroku briefly, "this InuYasha, despite his state, still follows the general pattern of all hanyou. That being that he temporarily loses all his demonic powers during a specific time of the month and becomes fully human in body. Whether the change is mental or not as well, we can only guess."

"So you want us to capture him when he turns human?" Kagome asked, a bit disapproving. That wasn't exactly fair in her book, though it was a strategy they could use. "Even if we could track him for that long without him noticing us, there isn't anything we can do about him. He couldn't stay in Reikai and we can't let him into Ningenkai."

Koenma nodded stiffly, though it clearly wasn't the last he had to say on the matter. "Actually, I intended to propose something entirely different. Now that we're certain it's a hanyou we're dealing with, another possibility has been opened up for us. If you were to capture InuYasha, you, Kagome, would likely be able to use your powers to purify the demon part of him. That way, he would…"

"No!" Kagome interrupted, her face angry now. "You don't know that for certain. There's never been a case like this – you can't be sure if removing the demon part of him doesn't kill him! He's innocent; he doesn't know what he's doing!"

"I agree with Kagome-sama." Miroku attempted to straighten up, but decided against it at the last moment and Sango, forgetting the possible opportunities this opened for him at the sight of his pain, rushed to his side, deliberating whether or not actually allow her hand that hovered above his back to make contact. "InuYasha cannot be prosecuted based on his current actions. He isn't in his right mind."

"Well, if you've got a better plan, let's hear it!" the toddler lord challenged, folding his tiny arms in an imperious gesture.

There was a momentary silence before Sango decided to prevent the shouting match from beginning. Kagome was glaring at the ground, trapped, Miroku was attempting to concentrate and the prince was waiting for the chance to put on his superior expression.

"There's little point in arguing over what if situations. What matters is that InuYasha has vanished from our sight and if we are to locate him, we have to come up with a plan." She glanced at Kagome. "InuYasha protected Kagome-chan last time because she resembles Kikyo, a priestess from Ningenkai whom he was in love with."

Miroku was the one to conclude that thought with a grim nod. "I hate to say this, but I believe this is called bait. And it might work."

It would work, Kagome knew, but she wasn't certain that she liked it. Purifying a demon was routine. But purifying someone who was partially human and risking hurting them… she had never killed a human. Never, in all her existence. And such a thing would likely be on her conscience for the rest of her existence. It was a selfish reason for refusal, but a justified one.

"Only as a last resort." the priestess said suddenly, interrupting without context. She then glanced hard at Koenma. "I'll do it if I must, but I want to try less drastic methods with him first. Perhaps his blood can be cured somehow. After all, he reacted to… to my- to Kikyo's face."

Though it seemed to be against his better judgment, Koenma agreed to that strategy. "Ogre!" He hardly ever used George's name. "Get Botan and have her pick up new gear for Kagome – clothes, a communicator and a new weapon! Ayame!"

It would have surprised a normal person how the dark-haired investigator appeared out of nowhere in a flicker of blue lights. "Yes, Koenma-sama?" she asked respectfully.

"I want all information on hanyou in general there is in the archives; their powers, their unstable blood and if there's any way to stop that without killing them straight away! Oh, and check if their spirit remains enraged even after death. Can't be too careful." Koenma added with an air of importance.

"Yes, sir." Ayame said before vanishing again.

"And you three," he addressed the remaining reigen, "I don't want to see you pulling off such stunts with the jewel again unless the plan's full-proof and you want a paperwork job and a hundred spankings if it isn't." Miroku cringed again. "You might as well put a "get your free Shikon no Tama here!" sign in front of you next time. That thing attracts enough trouble on its own accord; there's no need to help it."

If he wanted to say anything else, the words were drowned in the cry of "HENTAI!" and the loud slapping sound that followed. Apparently, Miroku was certainly not half-dead – in fact, he was more than healthy. Sango stormed out of the room with the intention to join Botan in getting the new gear, though not even the large red handprint on his face seemed to be able to wipe the daydream-like expression on the monk's face.

Koenma looked a bit frustrated at those antics. "I don't understand you, Miroku. You know what you're going to get for your impertinence and yet you still do it. And it's been several centuries already. One would think you'd already know - well, that you'd get tired of it." the Reikai prince, who was certainly not the child he appeared, amended, catching Kagome's suspicious stare.

"There is no pleasure without pain." the monk said philosophically, rubbing his new bruise. "Besides, overcoming pain and worldly burdens is one step closer to Nirvana." And he left, with some difficulty, presumably to find Sango and apologize.

"He means that he's used to it already and that it would be worse if she didn't hit him. Then she'd hold a grudge and he wouldn't get another chance." Kagome translated, a bit amused against her own will.

"A chance at continuing their relationship?" Koenma said, clearly not able to understand exactly what gave Sango the immense patience and forgiveness.

"Oh, no." the priestess said, seriously this time. "I mean he wouldn't get another chance to grope her."


	12. A dish best served cold

This chapter took some effort. It involves a plot twist that wasn't originally in the plotline, but I decided that it was actually needed for the rest of the story to be somewhat logical in terms of some character relationships. It isn't much of a cliffhanger, but I suppose you can guess what happens next after this chapter ends… once you read it, that is. As promised, it's Youko-centric from top to bottom, though the "also starring" list features Kuronue and a few memorable demons you should already be familiar with – originally, none of them was supposed to even make a cameo, but that's the beauty of imagination. It makes things morph over time.

Enjoy.

X X X

**A dish best served cold**

X X X X X

"Therein lies the defect of revenge: it's all the anticipation; the thing itself is a pain, not a pleasure; at least the pain is the biggest end of it."

- Mark Twain

X X X X X

Time crawled on.

Some creatures might find it startling that after a crucial point in their lives, the days and months still pass as they had always had, but for Youko, it was questionable which moment was important to be considered crucial. His brief encounter and stay with the guardian priestess was merely one of many events of that era and he treated it as such, putting it out of his current thoughts and storing it in memory until it would be beneficial to recover the information, if ever.

But there were so many other things, so many details that required his daily attention that three months passed without a single thought in his mind venturing even close to the image of the priestess, let alone the whole ordeal. Raids were organized, loot was gained, sorted and either awarded to the men according to their achievements or secured in their vault if it was of more value. He lost some good warriors; within a week, twice as many guards from an estate they raided joined him and slaughtered their own masters upon hearing only his name.

Nevertheless, in the back of his mind, the mental note to take his revenge on both InuYasha and Naraku remained intact and so he listened to a daily report of one of his lieutenants more intently than he otherwise would have when he reported that they had smelt a scent similar to that of the fan, but as there were pursuers on their trail, were unable to follow them. The kitsune kept the fan purely to make certain the smell remained known. Otherwise, he made little move to actively seek out his prey. After all, it was likely the Reikai forces were still searching for them.

Why do the work when someone else could do it in your stead?

Otherwise, the atmosphere in Makai was as normal as it could be, if bloodshed and a general animalistic atmosphere could be considered normal. There was no such thing as routine in the lives of the demons, but those with a steady occupation, such as Youko Kurama's band of brigands, at least knew what to expect from each new day. After the slight mishap with the first plan to take hold of the Shikon no Tama, the fox demon decided that there was no harm in bettering their skills at dodging both small and large projectile weapons – thus it became somewhat of a daily practice for arrows to swish through the village from random spots, without warning, without sharp tips at first, though after a day or two, Youko ordered that to be corrected.

At least the time of the start of the daily training had been decided, as a stray arrow could take even the greatest warrior unaware. Youko had had his reservations about that liberty before, as he believed he had no use for weak men who weren't always on their guard, but Kuronue reasoned that killing their own men, even in training, was hardly a strategy to attract new recruits, which the kitsune acknowledged.

"But if they cannot dodge a simple arrow that can only scratch a demon, I will accept no blame if they cannot avoid a purification arrow in battle." Youko had said warningly, and eventually, the demons believing themselves to be nearly as strong as him changed the rule for themselves. It was a temporary training, but it ended up helping them somewhat, after many hits and cuts and scratches, of course.

It must have been nearly half a year until the first sight of a creature with the scent of that fan was caught.

A group of capable fighters with the fox demon leading them, Kuronue among them, were fleeing from a successful raid on a castle whose owner had entered some petty war with his neighbour over who-knew-or-cared-what, thus giving the bandits a perfect opportunity to have a look at his halls. The residents of the estate, with their poor fighting skills, were hardly a match for the well-armed fighters and it seemed a model raid before they got a mile or two away from the now rather empty house.

Then, there was a deafening roar that caused even Youko to step in his tracks and turn around, only to see that the estate was in a far worse shape than they had left it, as it not bore a close resemblance to a pile of rubble. But the more eye-catching aspect of the whole situation was the giant purple-skinned demon that was approaching the motionless group with surprising speed, the evident cause of the disturbance. The demon was huge, with sharp claws and gigantic horns, but clearly wasn't as powerful as his size might suggest to a casual observer. In fact, the only surprising thing about it was that it did not attack at once, despite it being clear that the thieves were its target.

The glowing red eyes of the monster swept the group and rested on Youko with a slightly mocking glance that was not at all to the kitsune's liking. "Your mind might be able to make links but your observations won't help you with me, Youko Kurama." The beast spoke coherently, almost like a creature of a higher level. A few of the men were shocked by the display of arrogance from a creature that would have been fortunate to reach half their leader's power level.

Youko was likely the only one who noticed the demon's manner of speech for what it was – lack of hesitation. It was able to target him among a number of generally white-clad demons without problems and aimed his first blow without introduction, which was irritating, but without hesitation still. All demons jumped out of the swipe's way effortlessly, but the second strike caught them slightly off-guard, as it was aimed precisely at the spot where they had yet to land. Some got knocked aside, but Youko landed firmly on his feet some meters away from the spot and connected the pieces.

_He must be a creature of the same origin as the wind witch had been. _he thought that on purpose, to confirm his supposition.

The creature only laughed in response, which was confirmation enough. "My older sisters Kagura and Kanna were just warm-up acts before I, Goshinki, was born."

His usage of the plural momentarily startled even the kitsune for a brief moment that gave Goshinki the chance to attack again, an attack which actually required some effort to dodge. The information about another demon and their relation to the beast was enough information from this creature and Youko decided to end it before he could get really annoyed or lose any men. He jumped away from the group and predictably, Goshinki focused his attention on him. But even Goshinki, with his arrogant confidence, froze at the following sight his senses registered. Whatever voice there had been speaking in Youko's mind was now silent, the echo gone, and what could have seemed colorful was now blackness.

Goshinki didn't understand and had never imagined that such a thing could occur. He couldn't understand, truthfully. And then, before he could diagnose the situation, his existence ended with one precise lash of an immeasurably sharp object. His head was severed before he could come to a decision on how to react. Youko caught his whip neatly before the immense decapitated creature even hit the ground and the head, the light fading in its glowing red eyes, landed with a loud thud almost at his feet.

Several demons examined the skull, but others rather checked their surroundings more carefully in case some other monster was lurking in the midst. But there wasn't, which was both surprising and unnerving, and thus almost everyone present agreed that they shouldn't stick around to see if the situation was going to change. They took the head, as somewhat of a trophy, though Youko had certain reservations about that. But as it was clearly dead and its senses clearly weren't intact any longer, there was no danger in keeping it.

Once they returned to their settlement, Youko had the head examined by those with a keener sense of smell and received almost immediate confirmation that the monster corpse was indeed radiating the same scent as the fan – not only that, but it seemed that the bones were also a match in terms of tissue. The fox demon contemplated that information for a while before ordering increased awareness throughout the entire village.

Kuronue believed he understood that move – after all, that Goshinki had been a mind reader, thus there was no telling whether he had managed to forward his information to anyone throughout their relatively short battle.

"You don't think any demon would be gullible enough to enter this settlement and survive it, do you?" he reasoned, clearly thinking of the "strength in numbers" theory. Besides, Goshinki had been weak without his mind-reading advantage.

The kitsune, who had been leaning against a railing and half-observing the village, half-glaring into space, mentally agreed with part of that theory. "That Goshinki beast was part of Naraku and yet the creature made no move to save him as he did with the dog demon. The only reason for that could be that he had fulfilled his purpose, which clearly wasn't destroying us."

"So you mean he was only sent to locate us? As if he… you think he read the information from our minds and sent it to this Naraku guy, who then discarded him just like that?" the bat youkai asked, a bit disgusted. Not that he was one for the sentimental kind of loyalty when its uselessness was obvious, but this move sounded pointless – especially if the demon had been part of a larger structure. "In that case, it seems that destroying these spawns doesn't hurt the original entity."

Youko nodded absent-mindedly, still calculating the possible reason for that course of action by the enemy. Perhaps this was some way of revenge for the little intervention during the disappearance incident, but to be able to even anticipate where they would strike was somewhat of an admirable feat for anyone.

"I don't believe that a frontal assault is the style of this enemy." the kitsune noted eventually, turning his back to the village and facing Kuronue. "Though I suspect that finding out our location was not simply meant for a friendly visit. In any case, that knowledge alone justifies the kill of this creature."

"After all that you're still looking for justification?" Kuronue asked, blinking slightly. This was certainly new.

For a brief moment, a small smirk played around the corners of Youko's mouth. "Not really, but it adds some excitement to routine trash disposal, doesn't it?"

A full week passed without incident, thus some demons were beginning to think that the precautions had been unnecessary. Everything pointed to the fact that there had been no true need to be extra careful. But still they pondered the mystery of Goshinki's "sisters", though Youko had actually taken the time to tell them the basics about Kagura and Naraku, if he left out the details about the circumstances that were involved in those battles.

The day when the intruder was spotted was a rather ordinary one – actually, it was one of those rare ordinary days where the men sorted out their earnings, which were still gigantic in comparison to what they might have gained otherwise. No conventional means had gained them knowledge of the creature present. In fact, if they weren't the kind to bother with security watches and the creature wasn't so easily distinguishable, it was likely that they wouldn't have ever spotted it at all.

Youko had been reading one of the valuable scrolls they had retrieved from a particularly wealthy victim when one of the guards on watch duty almost burst into his quarters. The word "intruder" was enough to have the fox demon on his feet, especially as he himself hadn't sensed anything. Quite a few demons were already leaning on the railings of their treetop pathways and observing the pale figure that had come to a halt on the forest floor far below them, but directly below them as well.

It was clearly a demon in the form of a child, which perhaps was the reason why the men hadn't destroyed her immediately. But there was many an oddity about the creature, the frail appearance the least strange of them, and when Youko, who paid no heed to the acknowledgement everyone nearby gave him, came to the railing to look at the strange newcomer himself, the creature raised its head slowly but immediately, and from what the demons saw from so high above, a pair of black eyes met those of the kitsune.

Everyone present seemed to be waiting for some kind of order from Youko, who was remembering the words of the mind-reading Goshinki.

_Older sisters… Kagura and Kanna. _

Kanna, Godless World.

No youki, no presence… a blank, passive look in her eyes that remained even when the kitsune gave a nod and several demons moved to descend to the forest floor with surprising speed and surrounded the pale creature.

But Kanna, if it was indeed her, continued looking upwards, and Kuronue was one of the few who actually saw Youko vanish from the spot where he had been standing, a streak of silver materializing into his form down below, in front of the child. Next to Kanna, who was thoroughly colourless, Youko's eyes seemed several shades brighter, and the child fixed her attention at him, raising the object she had held in her hands from the beginning, something all the demons surrounding her, weapons at the ready, had not noticed.

It was a circular mirror, perfectly smooth, with only the faintest hint of scent similar to that of the fan, but it disappeared quickly. Youko was wary of the object, as he alone had seen what the fan could do, but there was no hostile intent in Kanna this time, and the mirror only reflected his luminous countenance until, suddenly, the image changed, morphing smoothly into the face of the priestess Kagome, who shot an arrow straight at the surface, but the light that erupted from the mirror was different than hers – it was the red light of InuYasha's sword.

The scenery in the mirror changed to a landscape that was familiar to anyone who knew their way around the Makai and then a scenery of ruins the fox demon managed to identify after a few glances from different viewpoints. And he also recognized this for what it was – an invitation to some new form of trap. Someone had clearly figured out who had intervened at the trap at the fake tournament, there was no other explanation for it. But the invitation lacked one thing – motivation.

Apparently, that problem was to be solved soon enough. Kanna hardly moved, but somehow, she turned on the spot, as if she wanted to show the mirror to all the demons surrounding her. Youko didn't understand the logic of that move, but it wasn't long before he saw that it wasn't merely for the benefit of a larger audience. The mirror had a different ability, aside from showing sights far and wide; those who gazed into its depths with curiosity or distrust or any other expectations underwent a change. Their eyes became blank and a moment later, a light rose from each of their bodies, like a trapped creature struggling to escape its fleshy prison.

Youko raised his whip a second too late after realizing what was happening; Kanna had simply vanished. But the pale lights of the souls – for that was what they clearly were – didn't vanish immediately. The lights took off to follow the mirror and be absorbed into it, to Kanna. The kitsune didn't hesitate one moment; in a great silver streak, he dashed off after the vanishing firefly-like entities.

Up in the trees, the demons watching the scene noticed that. some immediately took off after their leader without even waiting for a signal, a few glanced at Kuronue, who gave a curt nod before jumping over the railing and following himself after seeing that within moments, those that had stood guard around Kanna dropped to the ground, motionless, but still emitting their youki, thus alive but paralyzed by some strange force.

"Double the watch and kill any intruders!" he called over his shoulder before soaring out of sight. The majority of demons remained in the village to keep watch and secure the perimeter, thus the bat demon took off after Youko with a crew of about twenty to thirty men.

Taking off on his own without warning certainly wasn't a habit of the kitsune's, thus even the slowest demon could easily understand that something big had happened. Fortunately, the souls weren't exactly moving at lightning speed, though they certainly weren't slow, but Youko took off with great speed, both to prevent too many interventions and to try and locate Kanna herself. But it was proving near impossible, as she possessed no youki or presence of her own. It was clearly the reason she had been sent on this task – even his senses, no matter how keen, were proving unable to pick up any trace of her save for the lights of the stolen souls.

Predictably, it took some time before they reached the ruins that Kanna's mirror had shown him and once there, the lights of the souls passed through the slightly crumbled stonework of the ancient stronghold from some forgotten demon war for power over all of Makai without any kind of hesitation. Youko had to stop there, in front of the crumbled gate, as no matter how angry he was, he had no intention of marching into a clear trap without even a second glance.

The momentary pause in the wild chase gave the rest of the demons the chance to catch up with him. Kuronue landed first, naturally, but even he was slightly perplexed as to where they had arrived and exactly what had happened. He had seen the lights and the paralyzed demons, but didn't make the connection just yet.

The demon crew arrived one by one and one or two moved to examine the stonework to see if something had passed through it recently. Youko remained standing where he was, gazing at the gateway as if he could see through it. The stonework was frail and would be easy to destroy. It was truly an invitation into the trap.

"We're going in." he said to the group, still observing the gate, as if waiting for it to transform into the mouth of a beast. "Break it."

It was an order to the group in general, as he trusted them to pick the most capable person for doing that themselves – they were all hand-picked warriors, and as they were thieves as well, they had to have at least a passably working intelligence. Once the gate crumbled under an energy ball attack from one of the more precise marksmen, Youko was the first to step over the ruins and enter, but his pace was almost casual and his senses were all on alert.

"I want the mirror that child demon was holding." He said once they proceeded down the first surprisingly well-lit hallway of the stone stronghold. He didn't bother with a pretext or a warning that they should all be careful – after all, when was there a time when they shouldn't?

"What did it do to the others?" an auburn-haired demon asked Youko, not discouraged in the slightest by not receiving eye contact in return. "They dropped like they were dead!"

"She trapped the souls of the others within so that we would accept her invitation to this place." Youko explained, leaping over a trap door death-trap with sharp metal spikes rusting with blood in an almost routine fashion.

"So these decorations were put here for us? How thoughtful." Kuronue said when they dispatched of the first wave of weak demons that were clearly only meant to put them on edge and not really harm them. Unfortunately, with Youko's quiet anger hanging in the atmosphere, it was somewhat difficult for anything but determination to succeed to enter the minds of the demons with him.

After several more traditional traps, a few rotting demon corpses found on the ground and a gradually lessening number of torches on the walls, the demons, yet to lose a single one or even sustain an injury more serious than a scratch, arrived in a larger circular chamber with several archways that led into total darkness beyond them. But it seemed that all of them led to the same room.

One of the demons was about to proceed into the door, but Youko raised a hand to stop him. The dark-skinned demon came to a halt, but gave the kitsune a quizzical look. "I'll go first. In case something happens, follow our objective." he said calmly, and upon receiving nods and grunts of the affirmative, the fox demon entered the central archway and almost literally disappeared into the darkness. Moreover, like a mirage, the archway flickered strangely and vanished before any of the rest could do something.

On the other side, Youko spared the disappearing opening only a brief backward glance. He had expected something like this to happen from the start, hence the warning to the others. Those pathways were likely portals to different parts of the ruins and there was a fabled labyrinth beneath the crumbled fortress where demons occasionally went to either test their skills or get rid of those far too incompetent to make their way out of the maze.

But it didn't seem to have thrown him into the middle of the maze – on the contrary, the hallway he found himself in looked quite like the others they had passed through and several torches with eerie blue fire sparkled to life when the portal closed. Apparently, someone had a taste for the dramatic gothic horror atmosphere.

Following his own orders, he made locating the mirror and Kanna his first priority and destroying them both was second on the list. He would search for the others once that was done and for their sakes, he hoped they would follow the same pattern.

That no demon moved to attack him in the first or the second hallway was not surprising, but not comforting either. The absence of traps was suspicious as well, but Youko was cautious as ever even in his quiet anger, and stopped short upon entering another circular chamber, far larger than the last one. But in contrast with the room with the archways, this room had no other exit and its floor was not stone, but soil. That was a surprising move on its own from whoever had built the citadel.

But at last, Youko sensed some trace of youki from the farthest part of the room, where a long-haired demon appeared as several torches lit themselves. The youkai was pale and dressed in an unhealthy shade of green. What was important was that he was emitting the same type of youki as the demonic fan of Kagura, which was all the reason Youko required for immediate termination. Not that he needed one in the first place, but the smell was truly getting irritating.

The demon avoided the first lash of his rose whip with surprising speed and proceeded to evade the rest of the strikes that followed without any sign of emotion. Even when he wasn't quick enough to avoid a strike and the whip slashed through his side, almost cutting him cleanly in half, he showed no sign of pain. In fact, he made no noise save for the lazy intake of breaths through his mouth, which was a disturbing sight on its own.

Youko froze for a moment and watched his enemy's green clothes darken with blood. Something was not right with the creature, especially since he had sustained a near-fatal wound for someone of his class. And then, the kitsune himself felt a knife-sharp pain on his forearm, making him drop the whip, though he instinctively jumped back. A long, clean cut appeared on his arm, marked in red with blood. Youko licked it to stop the bleeding, but then searched for the blade that had created the wound.

And then, he noticed the tiny replica of the heavily breathing demon sitting on the larger one's shoulder, giving a low laugh. It was clearly more than just a puppet – it had its own sickle-ended limbs and its own mind, as it was the one that spoke.

"His blood is delicious, Juromaru. It makes me wonder if his insides will be even better."

The kitsune eyed them both with some disgust at those words and picked up his weapon from the ground. "I'd be flattered, but gluttony combined with lack of manners is a reason for a severe punishment."

The smaller creature gave a devious laugh. "You're a spicy one. I don't make a habit of introducing myself to my meal, but just so you know who killed you: I am Kageromaru," he then glanced at his larger twin, "and this is Juromaru."

"Let me guess: more toys from Naraku's little shop of horrors."

"Yes… but we take orders from no one. Juromaru obeys only me!" Kageromaru's voice vaguely resembled a shriek as the rose whip only barely missed him.

His brother leapt into battle with Youko, who winced in pain and dropped his whip again when he felt another surge of pain pass through his arm. The cut was deeper than he had supposed and the second of pain gave Juromaru the chance to land a solid punch that sent the fox demon crashing into the wall.

A few small stones fell on him, but he had no time to allow himself rest, as the youki of Kageromaru materialized beneath the ground next to his left arm. Youko sprang to his feet quickly, but still didn't avoid the slash, though it merely cut the skin this time. He recognized the strategy this time – it was an attempt to render him incapable of using his main weapon and, sadly, it was working. Aside from that, he saw Kageromaru´s ability to dig into the ground like a worm and emerge for a surprise attack. It was hardly the helpful sort of knowledge.

"Quite a dangerous weapon, that. Too bad you can't use it any longer." Kageromaru jeered from his counterpart's shoulder. Apparently, he also enjoyed seeing his opponents squirm and assumed that the two of them had the upper hand now. "Juromaru, fight to your heart's content! We'll eat once he's unconscious!" And Juromaru, who had no strategy of his own, leapt into action without question.

Defence and dodging occupied all of Youko's attention for a few moments before he managed to leap out of reach of Juromaru's limbs. He saw that Kageromaru had vanished, but this time, he was ready for it. Upon sensing where the smaller opponent was, Youko made to sprint towards Juromaru, as if he intended to ram straight into him. Beneath the ground, the pest followed and the kitsune jumped over Juromaru in the exact moment when Kageromaru surfaced, blades at the ready. The small demon crashed straight into Juromaru´s stomach, piercing it and surfacing through his back.

Kageromaru let out a cry of rage as Juromaru gurgled out blood, though he still didn't let out a coherent intelligible sound. But the second he had wasted gave Youko the time to launch another attack. Trying to his Kageromaru with his whip would have been a waste of time, so he decided not to leave things to chance this time.

A swirl of petals, each twice as sharp as Kageromaru's blades, whooshed past the two demons, cutting air and flesh alike. By the time they returned to Youko, the soil where the two demons stood was soaking up fresh blood. It was a rather messy death, certainly not completely the kitsune's style, but he didn't regret it. The door through which he had entered reopened, though he saw that it led to a different hallway this time.

"Enjoy your sushi." he noted dispassionately to the two corpses before picking up his whip, returning it to its original shape and taking his leave.

The cuts on his arms were more irritating than painful and the scratch on his left forearm healed within minutes. But he had to apply some of his own herbs on the deeper wound, which still stung and impaired his usage of his own weapon. It meant that he was reduced to using his left – which posed no real problem, as he was ambidextrous – but he preferred his right for most things, the most precise attacks including. He had endured worse injuries, but being taken by surprise by a low-life such as that Kageromaru had been did nothing to better his anger.

He had no need for any particular reason to want to destroy Naraku; even revenge for saving InuYasha was purely an unnecessary justification. But now, after encountering a whole parade of irritating minions that had been spawned by the creature, he had a whole list of reasons for removing the offending demon from existence. That meant a far more painful end for him, of course.

After the brief interlude with the two newest additions to the freak show, Youko passed through the dimly lit hallways without any problems. Traps were scarce, none too difficult to evade, and he finally managed to sense a demonic aura he didn't recognize within the fortress that was strong enough to be their main enemy here. Perhaps Kanna had decided to leak out her presence, but he doubted that. Aside from that, he was also getting a strange mixed scent that resembled that of InuYasha. The two were close together, so he took the corridor heading in their direction.

The length of the journey almost made the corridors themselves appear like the fabled maze, though Youko was certain that they weren't. He also somewhat doubted that the others had avoided the maze as he apparently had and came to the conclusion that he had likely been separated from them on purpose.

How convenient.

He sensed the auras of the others, never close enough for any kind of contact, but always within reach of his senses. Weak demons that weren't with them were also present, either getting destroyed or evading them, but somehow, he didn't seem to be getting much closer to the place where the two stronger auras were. The corridors were clearly designed to be confusing and even leaving behind clues to where he had been before in the form of knocking torches to the ground – there was no point in wasting seeds – didn't seem to help him much, though he was certain he was heading in the right direction.

But then, a strong energy that was nothing like that of a demon erupted through the air not too far ahead; energy that could instinctively put any demon on edge. Youko allowed himself a moment to stop and double-check his first readings, then gave a bitter smirk. It seemed that someone had decided to make this a larger house party than they had originally assumed. The jolt had been a warning shot and a message to anyone else within the ruins as it was an attack.

Perhaps this was all an elaborate plan to deal with two problems at the same time and walk out with the prize, but the kitsune still didn't feel the kind of power the cloud of miasma that had rescued InuYasha had been emitting before. No, Naraku wasn't there. It was the pawn game again. And Youko wasn't one to be pleased about being viewed as such. But something wasn't right about it. After all, putting them together only gave them a higher chance of prevailing – or, perhaps, a false sense of security, he thought, viewing the flip side of the coin as well.

Regardless, it seemed to be the intention of Kanna or whoever that stronger demonic aura belonged to to bring the two of them together. He hardly supposed that it was by chance that they had ended up being teleported into the same part of the fortress when the others were far away. He also remembered the images the soul-stealing mirror had shown him before it had switched to attack mode. Perhaps Kanna had shown more than she had intended, or perhaps that had been the first bait. As if he would ever accept "advice" from someone whose head he was going to chop off.

Unlikely as it was that anyone would come, he decided that he might as well go check it out himself. After all, the energy was in his path and he was really not in the mood for getting purified on accident today.


	13. Two for tragedy

This chapter is dedicated to all of those who like the devious schemes of everyone's favourite impossible-to-kill InuYasha antagonist, Naraku. Now, I said that originally, he wasn't supposed to have that many incarnations in this fic – actually, at first, I speculated about giving Byakuya the role Kagura has here, but it didn't seem a very good idea, as people who haven't read the manga likely have no idea who he is – though he's probably one of my favourite IY sort-of-villains.

Anyway, this whole arch of the story, handing the spotlight to the pretty little toys from Naraku's little shop of horrors was created after the ending has already been planned out, because it seemed like a good idea and gave me the possibility to exploit some relationships more deeply. But even that plot developed over time and thus slightly expanded the role of my favourite female character from YYH, also featured in this chapter.

Just a note for those of you who aren't that familiar with traditional Japanese weaponry: a naginata is a halberd-like weapon wielded more often by women than men in modern-day Japan. Check out Wikipedia if you're interested in finding out more.

X X X

**Two for tragedy**

X X X X X

"I like your game, but we have to change the rules."

- Anonymous

X X X X X

As a general rule, Kagome believed she liked children. Really, she did. She had never minded the less than casual duties of childcare, as she had never had opportunity to have children of her own and at the rate things were going, never would have.

Children, after all, for all their mischief and problems and needs, were nothing compared the problems a horde of angry demons chasing you could give a person. Actually, it was amusing to see that mothers often complained how troublesome their children were and how much time they required. At least children grew up and, eventually, let go of the parent, at least partially. But the Shikon no Tama was always dependant on her, always in her care.

Always bringing her new problems to deal with, too.

So she believed that children and the trouble they could bring were nothing more than a casual walk through the part compared to looking after the sacred jewel, which could be compared to a blind sprint through a deep forest filled with flesh-eating plants, with a thousand pursuers on her tail. Oh, wait – that was no mere comparison. That was the reality of it. Damn.

But she had learned to despise one child in particular – the child that had managed to drive her, Sango and even Miroku out of their wits for most part of the last three months. Hakudoshi. At least, that was what he _claimed_ to be his name, and as they knew no other, they were forced to accept his word for it.

After Kagura, she had hoped that there would not be another creature such as her around for a long time, but she had been mistaken. After returning to Reikai, everyone insisted that they take a break from pursuing InuYasha, who seemed to literally disappear, leaving no trail behind. So Kagome recovered from her surprising journey, the impacts of the cancelled demon duelling tournament were dealt with and life returned to normal.

Until Reikai received the first reports about a dangerous demon that had suddenly surfaced in the Makai, threatening the part of it they controlled.

Previously, there had been only sightings of the white demon-child, but eventually, his cruelty and rather sadistic methods of drawing them, the protectors of the jewel, out into the open in Makai, were forced to draw attention even from the spirit world. Curiously, for such a cunning creature, Hakudoshi made it no secret that he was an underling of Naraku. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying it as long as he was able to fulfil his orders by employing methods of his own choosing.

That was never a pretty picture, the priestess remembered with a small shudder. She still remembered the countless demon rats with disgust.

Eventually, they managed to slay the horse demon he had tamed, not that it helped them much in pursuit. It seemed as though Hakudoshi was really only toying with them, like a child ready to rip off a fly's winds, but wanting to have some fun before making the kill. And perhaps he wasn't the strongest demon they had ever faced, but he was certainly the most annoying and persistent one.

They had managed to destroy his body several times, but if even a fraction of him escaped – which it always did – he soon returned, fully restored. One of his favourite playthings was the new, strong shield that protected him from almost any attack, though Kagome's powers as a priestess seemed to be very difficult for him to block effectively. But this time, he had absolutely outdone himself; even Kagome could give him that.

Any note with the words "Let's play a game" as its headline was not good when coming from a demon.

Especially when it involved a trap.

It had all happened far too quickly. First, the demon caught and nearly killed Botan right before their eyes as she was setting off back for Reikai. Then, he had introduced his little scheme to them. He would place the unconscious ferry girl into a labyrinth of pathways in one of his favourite locations in Makai. And, of course, they were to search for her and find her. At first, it had seemed dangerous, but rather pointless. Of course, that had been before their entry into the ruins – the Shikon no Tama had disappeared from Kagome's neck faster than the lights went out, courtesy of those annoying wasps that seemed to follow Hakudoshi around, and the voice they had learned to identify anywhere announced to them that the ferry girl was truly dying and only the jewel could temporarily preserve her life. Temporarily, of course.

Because without Kagome's powers, it would be tainted soon.

Thus it became a race into the centre of the maze to save both Botan and the jewel. It was times like this when none of them could actually understand Hakudoshi's intentions. As a servant of Naraku, he should have brought the jewel to his master at once; but he preferred watching them squirm and become desperate. It was his style entirely and when they had gotten separated, Kagome understood at last that he not only wanted the jewel; he wanted to see them die trying to recover it.

_It's so funny that I actually forgot to laugh._ she thought bitterly as she destroyed a horde of weak demons with her aura alone.

It didn't seem that she had gotten to the bad part of the maze yet, but it worried her. Botan's life was running out – granted, a ferry girl's soul could find its way back to Reikai even after physical death, but Hakudoshi might have calculated with that possibility as well and gone to some lengths to prevent that. And if Botan, who had become a source of optimism for them all with her carefree nature, were to suffer such a fate…

She would never forgive herself.

The deeper she went into the maze, the more demonic auras she was able to pick up, some strong, some weaker, but at least this power of hers was still working well. Surprisingly, it seemed as if even the demons were fighting amongst themselves. She wasn't certain what it meant, but the presence of a very strong demon approaching her location at a steady pace – as if the creature knew she was there – was reason enough not to waste any more time plotting a revenge she might not have the chance to get.

The priestess reacted at once, drew an arrow an aimed.

But as the kitsune was expecting such a reaction from her, Youko knocked it from the priestess's bow with a quick lash. The precision of the strike that was aimed only for the arrow – not even the bow, let alone her – made Kagome stop and finally, even with her non-demonic eyesight, she spotted the last on her list of demons who dressed in white she was expecting to see, but likely the first on the list of those she wouldn't shoot at again.

"You!" she cried in surprise, but didn't lower her bow just yet. After all, their somewhat friendly last encounter had taken place months in the past and she had no way of knowing if that status of truce was still intact.

"Verbose as ever, I see." Youko noted dryly, the whip once again in neat circles in his hands, though he also didn't make it vanish completely.

So he had been correct – this was a ploy to get rid of two problems at the same time. Perhaps they had intended for them to kill each other? But no, that would have been far too simple. He had the feeling that the core of the matter was far more complex than that. Such an elaborate trap wouldn't have been created if their captors relied on the slim chance of them not recognizing each other.

"What are you doing here?" Kagome demanded without a retort to that – there were more urgent matters to deal with. She, on the other hand, was thoroughly baffled. The only thing she was absolutely certain of was that the kitsune hadn't struck a bargain with Naraku. Otherwise, she had no clue what was happening.

"I could be asking the same question. I tracked your dog into this trap thanks to another spawn of that Naraku creature." Youko noted. There was absolutely no need to mention the particulars or the details to Kagome. Still, the information was startling enough, causing the priestess to blink.

It didn't fit into her logic – after all, they hadn't lost sight of the demon-child for almost a single day in the past months. "Another spawn? But that can't be! We've been tracking Hakudoshi for weeks now and haven't even caught sight of any of your men!" the priestess said, and then a frown crossed her face. "What did the demon that directed you here look like?"

"What makes you so certain this Hakudoshi is a spawn of Naraku?" the fox demon asked instead of an answer. This was becoming intriguing. It seemed as though Naraku could reproduce himself limitlessly, which certainly wasn't a comforting thought.

"Aside from the creepy kid mentioning it almost every time?" Kagome said, frustrated by not getting a less vague reply. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. You said you think InuYasha is here?"

Youko gave a slight smirk at the somewhat familiar stubborn persistence, but brushed the matter aside himself. "Yes, or so the mirror girl wanted us to believe." After all, the ruins and the priestess had been shown by the mirror. Both were present; as was the scent of the dog demon. Thus, logically, the images had likely shown the truth.

"Mirror girl?" Kagome repeated, perplexed. "I don't know any such demon – Hakudoshi is the only one we've encountered thus far and he's a little boy with a nasty naginata." But if Naraku could create more of these creatures at once… she didn't even dare think what that might mean. Of course, it fit into the theory of his creation they had been supplied with.

"It appears we weren't chasing the same demon, then." Obviously, as the mirror Kanna had been carrying was very hard to overlook. Plus, she hadn't been very talkative in comparison to the demon the priestess had described. "Have you learned anything useful about Naraku?"

It was as if they had agreed on this long ago, as if the meeting they had decided upon had merely changed location from a more comfortable place to a darker, more enemy-infested area than an ordinary office. Though the image of the two of them going through paperwork or the archives in Reikai was rather bizarre even for them, who had seen quite a few strange things in their lifetimes.

Kagome nodded almost automatically. "We've learned that these demon servants of his are actually parts of one large entity. Naraku was created by many demons binding themselves to the body of an injured human bandit."

"So the creature is actually a compilation of youkai bound together by the link created from the human core." Youko summarized. It took Kagome a second or two to comprehend the complete summary, but she gave a nod. It always took a very long time to explain these things and with such few words, it was a bit difficult to follow. "And now somehow, he has found a means of separating these individual demons from himself, giving them a free will and independent mind yet retaining them as servants permanently bound to him. Clever." he added as an afterthought.

Kagome was a bit confused now and decided that it was actually just better to agree with whatever he was saying. It was probably correct anyway. But the important thing was that she gathered that there was another demon created by Naraku on the loose. "But if another spawn of Naraku lured you here and we followed another here… what point does this have?" she asked, one eyebrow rising in doubt. "I don't suppose you strolled in here on your own and I'm not here alone, either."

"Except for the part when the two of us got separated from our respective groups due to no fault of our own… in my case, at least." Youko noted with the slightest tone of mischief. Kagome gave him a cross look instead of an answer – she didn't appreciate people rubbing in her occasional clumsiness.

"But I still don't see the point of it."

If she was to receive an answer, it was drowned in her own slight yelp and the splattering of demon entrails on the walls nearby. The priestess didn't even see the whip lash this time, but didn't bother searching for it. Instead, she just stepped over whatever bowels were in danger of coming in contact with her sandals.

Slipping on youkai insides wasn't exactly on her list of priorities, not today and not ever.

But Youko paid even less attention to that than he usually would. As the demons had been close to the walls of the circular chamber and the whip was long enough, it grazed at what sounded like a hollow spot. His eyes examined it coldly for a while and then raised his weapon for another slash – this time, aimed at the wall. Even new stonework would have crumbled under the force of the strike and the ancient wall almost exploded thanks to the pressure of the thorns.

Kagome raised an arm to cover her eyes and coughed a few times – it was remarkable how quickly the dust rose and how long it took for it to fall. The dark room was finally illuminated by an outside light source, the torches coming from the hall beyond the opening in the wall. Youko stepped through the hole and observed the empty hallways for a moment. There was no movement in sight and no aura within reach, enemy or ally. He was certain that it wasn't a good sign.

Kagome climbed through the opening after him, dusting her clothes slightly. She glanced around briefly and then at Youko, who stood stock still for a few seconds before confidently choosing a direction, as if he had seen some sign that it was the way to go.

"So what are we going to do?" she asked, running up to him to catch up.

The fox demon stopped in his tracks momentarily and gave her a half-amused glance. _We_, was it now? "I was under the impression you weren't altogether pleased to see me. Now you intend to cooperate willingly, knowing the possible consequences of that?"

"I was surprised to see you here; that's all. And you certainly gave me some unappreciated news." Kagome said with a scowl. "But that doesn't mean that I'm going to be the one breaking our truce when we have a common goal again. I agree that we've got to stop meeting like this. Or at least choose a better location for these meetings if there's no way to avoid that."

"Yes, I can see why you would prefer a less… romantic location." Youko noted as they continued walking down the corridor and Kagome almost dropped flat on her face when she tripped on the decaying corpse of a demon that the nearest torch didn't manage to illuminate. "It seems someone went out of their way to decorate the place for our visual delight. Very thoughtful of them."

The priestess had an expression of mild to severe disgust on her face as she kicked the hand of the corpse out of her path. "You don't know Hakudoshi. This is actually mild compared to some of the things I've seen him do." Then, her countenance morphed to show curiosity and she glanced at the fox demon leading the way. "Come to think of it, why are you here? I felt some fights among the demons in the area, so I'm guessing that some of your men are around, too."

"I could ask you the same question."

Kagome was starting to think that such answers should be punishable by death. Come to think of it, they likely were punishable in Reikai – by spankings, of course.

Now that was a mental image she really didn't need, she discovered too late, shaking her head somewhat furiously for a moment.

"I thought you'd have deduced by now that we're trying to finish off Hakudoshi. He's somewhat of a pain."

"I rather doubt that you would walk willingly into such an obvious trap." Youko noted, unfazed by her attempt at avoiding the question. Then, he stopped momentarily to glance at her neck, which the priestess found somewhat rude. "You don't have it." he said flatly, somewhat disappointed by the fact.

The priestess glared. "Hakudoshi doesn't have an ounce of subtlety in him, so to answer you, no, he didn't steal it. Our information gatherer from Reikai was taken here. She's got the jewel with her now; otherwise she'd die from her injuries. So I'd appreciate if you left whatever taunts you have ready for me for a latter time, because I'd really like to hurry and save Botan!" she said, storming ahead for a moment until they came to the nearest crossroad, where she was forced to admit defeat and allow Youko to lead again.

Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, perhaps, they progressed much faster together than they had when apart. Not only did most of the more intelligent demons avoid them completely now, but even the stupider ones were receding somewhat. Still, that didn't mean they weren't forced to kill a good number of them, Kagome retrieving each fired arrow, knowing they would likely need them. The unfortunate thing was that they didn't encounter anyone from their respective groups, even though their presences were felt not too far away. Apparently, Hakudoshi had truly gone to lengths to separate them effectively.

Both of them managed to pinpoint Botan's fading life-force eventually, along with the aura of the jewel that was at the same place. It was a large hall, twice as eerie as the rest of the fortress, and had only one light source – a small hole in the ceiling that shone directly on a small central area where the unconscious ferry girl lay, looking unharmed in her customary pink kimono, the light of the sacred jewel shining on the fabric. Kagome tried not to think just how much the stonework she was lying on resembled a sacrificial altar.

As there was no demon within the room according to either of their senses, the priestess swung her bow over her shoulder and sprinted to the unfortunate captive – not even Youko was quick enough to stop her this time, nor did he make a move to do so. Judging by the cunning of their captors, the trap would be sprung no matter what they did at this point. And, truthfully enough, nothing happened as Kagome grabbed Botan's limp, cold hand and called the ferry girl's name several times.

Just to get a more complete view on the situation, Youko also decided to inspect the blue-haired reigen's state of health. He saw the jewel placed on her kimono, emitting power, but it didn't seem to be helping her much. Rather, it was almost as if it was sapping her of her energy at the same time.

Kagome quickly glanced at him, hoping to gain some hope from his stony expression, but the kitsune shook his head slightly. "Her body cannot withstand this much longer. I'm giving her two hours, at most."

"Can't you do anything?" the priestess seemed slightly panicky. She also appeared to have completely forgotten the danger they were in and the likeliness of this being merely part of a scheme.

"Yes. I can remove the jewel."

"But that could kill her!"

Youko's eyes narrowed at her tone – as if he was the cause of the illness – but he remained convinced. "The choice between a swift passing and prolonged agony is an easy one." he remarked as the ferry girl gave a tiny gasp of pain.

It was enough to make Kagome cringe.

"I'll do it." she said, reaching out for the sphere somewhat hesitantly. It still shone with remarkable purity, so the kitsune made no move to stop her hand and examined their surroundings more thoroughly. It seemed as though something else was close by, something that had its own power and yet didn't, something…

"Wait!" But he grabbed the priestess's hand too late. Her fingers had already closed around the jewel – a great mistake.

As soon as that happened, an eerie light erupted from the sphere, which was highly uncustomary for even the mystical jewel, and, before Kagome could as much as blink, several things happened at once. The most noticeable was the first one, when a magenta energy beam erupted from the sphere and created something resembling an energetic manacle around both of their wrists. She tried to drop the jewel, but found that she couldn't. As quick as an attacking snake, the beam spread from the manacle, creating another one, forming a chain-like connection between the single manacle and those that formed around the other wrists of Kagome and Youko, forcing them almost back to back.

In short, Kagome could not use her right and Youko his left - they were pressed together firmly in the manacle, plus immobilized by the youki orb. Their other hands, though at least not forced together and completely immobile, weren't exactly fully usable either, even if they had been able to reach for their weapons. Which they weren't.

"You could have said that a moment earlier, you know!" Kagome said unhelpfully, struggling to overthrow the inconvenient bindings somehow.

Youko didn't deem it necessary to reply to that, preferring to use his time to look for a more effective way of freeing himself than brute force. Unfortunately, it was a rather well thought-out scheme. As the binding was purely energy – youki, he wagered a guess, and strong at that – there was nothing his thieving skills could do to help with it. But there was another way.

"You have to purify it."

"Eh?" It wasn't the most intelligent response, but it summarized her thoughts well.

"Your powers should be able to overpower and break the seal of the youki." the kitsune explained curtly. "Now do it!"

"A reasonable suggestion, but not rational from someone who doesn't have a death wish." A voice that was surprisingly malevolent for that of a child said from a distance.

Kagome recognized it immediately – it didn't make her very happy. By then, she was well aware that they had behaved exactly as Hakudoshi had intended them to and that what she was grasping in her hand was most definitely not the Shikon no Tama. Sure enough, the small, white-clad figure of the boy came into view, but he was followed by another white child – a little girl – that might have been his twin if not for her distinct lack of presence or youki.

Only the mirror in her hands seemed to radiate a life force, though it wasn't her own.

"Let Botan go!" Kagome yelled, far too courageously for someone hopelessly trapped. "You wanted me and the jewel, so let her go!"

But the ferry girl was in no state to even move and Youko finally understood why, observing the mirror in Kanna's hands. Her illness, if it could be called that, was cause by the separation of her soul from her body. And in the case of a ferry girl, who was corporeal only because her spirit self willed it so… she was fading and fading rapidly. At last, he understood completely the nature of the mirror. But if a soul such as that remained caught within, it was likely it would never surface.

Hakudoshi saw comprehension draw on the kitsune's otherwise cold countenance.

"But were would the drama in that be? No, I have brought you both here to have some fun before you die." he said, his purple eyes, devoid of pupils, glittering. At his side, Kanna said nothing. "And what better way to make you take this seriously than by giving you a time limit? It will take less than half an hour for the spirit guide's soul to be permanently absorbed in Kanna's mirror. The crystallized youki you removed was sealing her spirit energy, as it is now trying to seal yours. You cannot break free… unless you wish to purify the kitsune along with your bonds."

"You're lying. I can focus my energy purely on the bonds and get us out!"

The demon-child simply continued smiling. "As the bonds are restricting him as well and thus connected to both of you, you're welcome to try. Afterwards, your energy will be too exhausted to even scratch me and I can kill you myself."

Kagome blinked and her eyes widened. Okay, that wasn't good. Youko, on the other hand, wasn't watching the two demonic children anymore. He believed he caught a whiff of the scent of the dog demon again. Something was going on.

"What game are we playing, then?" he asked, accepting the terms of the situation for the moment.

"Observe."

With a flick of his wrist, the demon pulled a switch that allowed one of the stone walls to rise slightly, revealing the bars of a cage-like room. Finally, Youko was able to determine from whence came the strong and mixed aura within the ruins – inside, apparently not too happy with his residence, was the dog demon, InuYasha, trying to hack and claw his way out of the prison, though with little success.

"InuYasha…" Kagome couldn't help but whisper – and the hanyou heard it. For a second, he seemed to stop his antics, spotting her, but then he began to claw at the bars more viciously than ever, spotting first the kitsune, then Hakudoshi and Kanna. Apparently, he was under the impression that Kikyo was in danger, which granted him great strength – it didn't seem that the bars were going to last much longer.

Hakudoshi glanced back at the imprisoned pair. "I take it both of you are already acquainted with our pet? A crazed dog is difficult to put up with… even when caged." He spared the trapped demon a look of disgust. "I'm not even certain why Naraku bothers keeping him. In any case," he continued with more gusto. "I've decided to make some use of him."

"Quit bragging and get to the point!" the priestess snapped, her level of anger rising beyond the usual acceptable maximum.

But it was Youko who answered her – he had already figured out the rules of the "game".

"He wants us to battle the slave." the fox demon said with a not too enthusiastic look. In fact, he found it rather petty and beneath his notice, but that was beside the point at the moment. "By exploiting his insanity and our situations, he intends for us to kill him. Pathetic, really." Youko noted, with a somewhat superior expression.

"I see that not all animal spirits are as dimwitted as this poor excuse for a demon is." Hakudoshi said, hardly amused by what he assumed was mere bravado. "But correct. The game is on. Kill InuYasha and Kanna will release the souls of the ferry girl and your friends." So that was why their auras weren't moving any longer. "Or be killed by him – I doubt that in his current state, he will be able to control whom he kills. And when he kills the woman he presumes to be Kikyo, he will die either way. And, to make it more amusing…"

Again, the wasp-like creatures zoomed towards Kagome and Youko, carrying the real Shikon no Tama this time, and returned it to its original place – around Kagome's neck. Then, without doing any harm to either of them, they simply zoomed away in a buzzing cloud, back to the two white demonic children. Youko understood the intention. If they made a move for the kill, the jewel would instantly become tainted, thus giving Hakudoshi a means of claiming it. It was probably the most strategic reason why he had yet to escape with it – it was too pure.

So, there were two alternatives: One, they kill the dog demon in their present state, get that mirror without getting killed themselves – at best – or taint the jewel and possibly be at the mercy of those two monsters – at worst. Two, they get killed themselves, lose the captured souls, but keep the jewel pure.

Again, it was an easy choice for Youko.

"Listen to me carefully: if you do exactly as I say, we will get out of this." The fox demon said it loud enough for her to hear only because he knew that she would hardly listen to a mental conversation when she was under pressure.

Of course, Kagome was of a different opinion and had qualms about harming InuYasha.

"There has to be a different way out than slaughtering him!" she retorted, almost as if she were a mind-reader herself. Somehow, the years spent among demons attuned her more to their way of thinking and she was able to guess what he was about to suggest to her.

Hakudoshi didn't bother waiting for them to finish their conversation. "Let the games begin." he said simply, pulling the lever allowing InuYasha to escape from his prison.


	14. Defying gravity

Action scenes aren't really my thing when it comes to writing, but there was a clear need for at least one in the fic – otherwise, it wouldn't be action and adventure, would it now? – and so the first opportunity came here, when the heroes are in no small trouble. Hehe. Hopefully, this turns out to general satisfaction – though I suppose every hint of KagYouko-ness is satisfying to both the readers and myself. Aside from that, I hope you don't kill me because of the cliffhanger – remember, if you do, you'll never find out how this story ends! Hehe.

Anyway, every review you send helps me and encourages me to post more often, as college starts at the end of September and then I'll likely have some problems with updating regularly.

X X X

**Defying gravity**

X X X X X

"He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to be captured by them."

- Sun Tzu

X X X X X

The cage was broken.

But in a somewhat surprising move, the bound pair wasn't the first target of the enraged hanyou. Free of his cage, he leapt at the two demonic children – but once he got close, the barrier wall protecting them blew him back to the "players", which was far from good. Especially as Kagome had called his name previously, bringing his attention back to them. Then, she screamed, because in his state, facing the kitsune to whom she was now bound, InuYasha didn't really understand what was happening and lunged himself at them.

Perhaps he intended to free "Kikyo", but Youko didn't intend to stick around long enough to find out. They had only two advantages: one, InuYasha's aim was severely impaired in this state and two, contrary to the priestess's state, the fox demon was not nearly as helpless as their enemies would have liked – he happened to have excellent reflexes. In fact, if InuYasha hadn't pulled out his sword at the last second, the two of them would have escaped with one less scratch on the kitsune's face, which healed within an instant.

Kagome was facing problems with landing on her feet after the leap they took and even her minor weigh was proving somewhat of a hindrance in terms of balance for the fox demon. After a few tries, he was able to accustom himself to the slight change of equilibrium and the priestess stopped yelping whenever they evaded the fang-like sword. It certainly wasn't either of their preferred style of combat.

"So what's the plan?!" Kagome yelled, mid-air, slightly nauseous now.

Youko didn't bother with an answer. He had waited long enough and examined the technique – or lack of it – the dog demon was using sufficiently. Judging by his erratic movement, they would be able to use him somehow. And if that sword had broken a holy barrier on the first try, then it should also work on their bonds. At long last, he managed to test his theory – with a major swipe; InuYasha struck the energetic bind securing the manacle on Youko's right wrist in place. The youki beam crackled and sparkled before throwing the hanyou back, exploding into pieces in the process. But, most importantly, it lost contact with the orb and the manacle around the kitsune's wrist vanished at the expense of a small wound.

He wasted no time.

As he was able to move now, he quickly turned around and pried Kagome's stiff fingers from the fake jewel she was still gripping in her right palm, ignoring her yelp. But it was supposed to have suggested danger, not pain, and Youko crashed against the nearest wall from the force of InuYasha's attack. Thinking quicker than ever, Kagome remembered one long-forgotten trick she had in store, but had never gotten close enough to use. Now was the time for drastic measures.

With her free hand – her right was still somewhat numb and she felt that in his hurry, the kitsune had clearly come close to breaking at least one of her fingers, which was hardly a comforting thought for an archer – she reached for an object in her bag, drawing a peculiar black and white series of beads. She used her powers to fasten it around InuYasha's neck; the hanyou tried to pry the rosary off, to no avail. And then, finding inspiration in her partner-of-sorts, who sat up in the rubble, ready to return the pleasure of getting closer to the wall, she bellowed the subjugation command at the top of her lungs.

"SIT!"

And the hanyou was sent crashing into the ground, face-fist. There was a moment of silence; Youko, on his feet again, eyed the priestess warily, but she had already rounded up on Hakudoshi.

"The game is over and you lose! It ends here!" she yelled, returning the bow to her hands with trembling fingers.

The white demon-boy was almost unfazed by her threat. "Only death ends this game." he noted, his eyes still shining.

Youko noticed that Kanna had vanished from her sibling's side and the second he spent searching for her cost him the chance to warn Kagome. The girl almost materialized in front of the priestess, mirror raised at her eye-level. Kagome, with no idea what the mirror was capable of, unwillingly glanced into it. The pinkish barrier prevented Youko from knocking the mirror from Kanna's hands, but something happened that none of them had anticipated.

Though the priestess now had eyes that were almost blank and the light of her soul began to drift into the mirror, the transfer continued even when the energy seemed to spill from the shimmering surface. And Kagome, her face suddenly regaining concentration, slowly directed her gaze into the empty eyes of the demon-child, who, if possible, looked surprised. It seemed to take all her strength, arms shaking, but she managed to draw an arrow and take aim.

But she appeared to miss her target; rushing past the lily in Kanna's hair, the arrow hit the barrier around Hakudoshi and, with a great blast of light, managed to push its way through, narrowly missing the boy, who was clearly startled.

"What are you doing?!" he called to his sister. "Absorb her soul, Kanna!"

"It's too large…" her whisper-like voice replied, empty as her eyes, devoid of concern, but with a hint of stunned surprise. "I have to release the souls… or the mirror will crack…" And, certainly enough, a long crack appeared on the glowing surface of the mirror. With a great flash of light, Kanna expelled the souls within the mirror in order to preserve it. The light of her soul hit Kagome square in the chest, causing her to collapse to her knees.

But Hakudoshi was unsatisfied, letting out a sound that was almost growl-like. In his hands, he twirled the halberd-like weapon into an offensive position. "If you cannot take her soul, I'll take her head!"

The greatest light erupted from the mirror as Hakudoshi leapt up. But before he could take a swipe at Kagome's head, he was knocked away by InuYasha, who let out an incoherent scream of rage, clearly intent on ripping the demon-child to shreds. With surprising aim, the hanyou severed the arm holding the naginata at the ready.

"So, the dog bites its master. Futile." Hakudoshi noted, but then he saw that the naginata had vanished and looked in Youko's general direction just in time to see a long vine wrapped around the weapon snap the blade off of it.

InuYasha attacked with new fervour, but Hakudoshi was dangerous even without his weapon. Meters away, Kagome scrambled to all fours and grabbed her bow again. Kanna had vanished and Youko had decided to observe the artless battle for the moment before making a choice.

The priestess didn't wait. She knew her time had come – inwardly, she prayed to Midoriko to give her strength and a good aim – and so she fired one last arrow, after which she really had no energy for more. It soared towards the two combatants and hit Hakudoshi soundly, but it seemed to injure InuYasha as well – apparently, she hadn't controlled the amount of energy she wanted to release well enough. Youko caught sight of the still intact head of Hakudoshi soaring away on its own accord. It avoided his whip, but InuYasha was hot on its tail, momentarily forgetting both "Kikyo" and her "attacker".

The wasps, unnoticed until then, carried off the limp body of Botan, promptly vanishing with their master. Kagome tried her best to get up and shoot off after the demon, but when she had to lean against the remains of the naginata for support, she realized that it would be a no-go. After all the trouble they had gone through, not only was Hakudoshi going to escape again, oh no – he still had Botan with him, which meant they could have yet another merry round of this insane game.

Her hand on the support staff slipped, but someone caught her and half-dragged, half-carried her to sit on the stone altar where Botan had been minutes previously. It turned out to be, both surprisingly and unsurprisingly, none other than Youko Kurama.

"I sincerely hope you don't have any more of those rosaries." he said, and though he was serious, something in Kagome lightened up.

"They're called the Beads of Subjugation and no, I don't. But maybe I should have brought a spare." she retorted, her mind more on the mental image on Hakudoshi slamming into the floor than anything else. "We have seriously got to stop saving each other's lives like this." she mumbled, inspecting her sore fingers.

"And when, little priestess, have you saved my life, pray tell?" the kitsune asked, picking up and inspecting the sphere of crystallized youki that had imprisoned them at a crucial moment. It was clearly a creation of that Naraku, as the youki had to have come from him. Kagome used her regained strength to glare at him, which he blissfully ignored. "But I don't know." He flashed her a brief glance, his eyes laughing at her. "I think I'm beginning to like traps involving you and handcuffs."

Her ignorance could be either attributed to her innocence or her attempt to say what she wanted to say. "I guess I should thank you for getting us out of that one. I don't suppose you'd be interested in working for Reikai?" she asked, without any real conviction.

His reply was somewhat more accurate than she had expected. "I doubt even you would be, given the choice."

"Point taken." A sigh. "Well, no one ever said this was a risk-free job… could we by chance call this a truce until Naraku is dealt with?" she asked hopefully. It would certainly be one large problem off her back. And having Youko Kurama as an ally, temporary or otherwise, was certainly a profitable arrangement.

Of course, it would help if he cared to wipe that smirk off his face. "You're only offering that because you are too weak to fight me now." he said, assessing the situation with precision.

For a priestess, she certainly knew how to glare well. "I'm really starting to hate you when you're so…"

"Right?" the fox demon suggested, completely unfazed by her glare, which was faltering somewhat.

_Stupid cute fox ears. _How was she supposed to stay focused on her defensive speech when they were so close and distracting? Where were the good old days when fuzzy ears and a tail meant "I'm an innocent little furry creature, come pet me"? Everything about him was more of the "I might be danger incarnate, but you can't deny your primal attraction to me" kind. And when even she noticed it, it was serious.

Naturally, she was fiercely against the attraction theory, but still…

"Cocky. Even in this state, I can still take you." she warned, but it was clearly an empty threat – anyone could see that she was exhausted from the soul draining and would need time to recover.

But her determination was what was so memorable about her and instead of being annoyed or superior, Youko found her challenging tone likable. "Perhaps I'll hold you to your word someday."

Before the priestess could wonder or respond, the soft sound of a single set of footsteps reached the kitsune's ears and he whirled around abruptly. It was Kanna; she had reappeared from whatever shadows she had retreated to after her debacle with the mirror and now, she was vanishing through a different corridor than Hakudoshi's head had flown through. It was a quick moment of choice – and Youko took after the white girl without hesitation. The priestess was in no condition to be helpful at the moment and if he caught Kanna…

"Hey! Don't leave me here! KURAMA!" Kagome quickly yelled after she realized what was going on, but even slipping off the stone altar tired her somewhat. Still, she didn't want to admit to being helpless and she certainly had no intention of staying there alone if – _if_ – she happened to need help. Just in case.

Of course, she didn't really receive a reply – not even a word of parting, really, which she noted rather grudgingly. She didn't really know what to think about that and resolved to first get out of the labyrinth. Or perhaps recover her strength before attempting to do anything at all, she decided, though she was already feeling somewhat better.

In a more distant part of the dungeons, Sango was fortunate enough to wake up a few moments before Miroku did – somehow, despite their separation, they had eventually ended up in the same part of the dungeons. They too had encountered Kanna and lost their souls in the process, though they had fought the spell. Nevertheless, whether by chance or by intention, they were the ones to run into the fleeing Hakudoshi – or rather, what was left of him – before anyone else. But their recovery was swifter than Kagome's and they had had more time to regain their strength.

Still, she was concerned when she found him collapsed on the ground not too far from her and immediately crawled towards him on all fours – she couldn't be certain what had happened, but she attempted to wake him, which ended up as such attempts at gentleness with him usually did – by the revelation that he was hardly as unconscious as he seemed, and while he was a superb actor, the yelp of pain and the slap mark on his cheek were far from faked.

Afterwards, they were finally able to focus on the matter at hand – finding both Kagome and Hakudoshi, hopefully not together, or hopefully the former safe and the latter deceased. Somehow…

Their key problem with the white demon-boy had been that they had never been able to destroy him completely, courtesy of the wasps that seemed to follow him whenever he went. But this time, the head flew ahead of the wasps, without its protection. Though they didn't know it, the demon had managed to shake InuYasha off in the maze of tunnels and was now trying to return to his creator to rest and be recreated in peace, knowing that he was hardly in condition to fight.

But if there was one thing he hadn't counted with, it was the swift recovery of the houshi and the taijiya, especially their quick wits. Sango was the first who noticed it and quickly called at her companion with her customary "Houshi-sama! Look!" And Miroku was quick on the uptake. The wasps appeared a moment later, but they kept their distance, which showed that something was wrong. They weren't flying to defend their master – besides, the body of Botan also became visible on their wings.

It was time.

Miroku had never specified the exact demon that had placed the curse on him, but it was common knowledge in Reikai that his hand was cursed not only because of the rather lecherous instincts of the monk. In life, the hole in his hand that could such everything into its black abyss had been beyond his control and would have eventually consumed him as well. But in death – for he had died of poison rather than of the cursed wound – the expansion of the curse had been halted by the skilled healers of Reikai. Thus it was now only a weapon; one that couldn't hurt him any longer, but an effective tool when needed.

Of course, it had to be watched intently and used carefully. And it turned out that the wasps that followed Hakudoshi had a rather bad effect on him when he sucked them in. but this time, when the wasps retreated and Hakudoshi was nothing but a mere head, there was nothing stopping him from performing the deed that he was actually somewhat eager to do after the trouble the demon had caused them. After all, he had allowed the kazaana to consume dozens of demons at once. One more was nothing.

Hakudoshi noticed the intentions of his enemies too late. But he knew that they weren't the cause of this treachery – he realized that Naraku had found out about the machinations of him and his other half, which had no doubt been taken back into the body of their creator. And thus, as there was no need for the younger white child to be absorbed, death was to be his punishment for betrayal. After all, with the Shikon no Tama at hand and Kagome as a lifeless doll at his command, he would never again need to obey Naraku. But Kanna had been in on this treachery as well, he realized. Kanna, who had no feelings and had not resisted when he had prodded her mind…

The time had come. And he, defenceless to prevent it from happening, felt only a gush of wind pulling at his hair, taking him deeper and deeper into an unending abyss…

Sango threw Hiraikotsu as precisely as she could at the wasps, trying not to harm the unconscious ferry girl, but it seemed that the insects saw no further point in keeping her and released her, thus buying the time to escape their attackers. The slayer didn't have the chance to catch both Botan and Hiraikotsu, but Miroku managed to seal his wind tunnel and catch her without much trouble. At first, Sango thought it was rather noble of him, even though something about the sight of the monk holding Botan – whom she considered a friend – like that irked her.

She noticed the truth of the matter at about the same time as the waking ferry girl did – Botan gave a yelp and tried to jump out of the monk's arms with much more energy than she ought to possess after such an ordeal. And Sango, clenching her teeth, prepared her fist for a hit at point-blank range.

"How _dare_ you take advantage of an unconscious woman, you perverted houshi!" she snapped, helping Botan to her feet while the red-faced monk tried to put on an expression of innocence.

Botan, rather disoriented, groaned slightly. She had a terrible headache. Then, she remembered how she had been forced to look into that strange mirror and all had gone blank… "…and then I woke up here!" she concluded, her face still slightly flushed.

"No need to worry; we've finally dealt with Hakudoshi." Sango assured her, glaring at Miroku just for the sake of displaying her dissatisfaction. "Are you feeling all right, Botan-chan?"

"I'll be okay, don't worry about me." Then, the ferry girl paled slightly. "But where's Kagome-chan? Did you get separated?"

"Yes, but now that Hakudoshi is dead, I think the enchantments around these ruins will lift as well." Miroku noted, re-entering his "monk mode" upon struggling to avoid Sango's pointed glare. In any case, he seemed to take on the burden of leadership while Kagome was gone quite effectively. He closed his eyes and focused for a moment, like he usually did when searching for a demon's strong youki. And, finally, he found the direction. "I found her energy – she isn't too far away from us and seems to be waiting for us to find her. She seems all right." he said reassuringly when both women seemed concerned – Sango actually lessened her glare in favour of a concerned look.

"Then lead the way!"

Botan seemed to regain her usual bubbly manner quickly for someone who had had their soul sucked out of their body in such a brutal fashion and summoned her oar to take off after Miroku. She wanted to offer Sango a ride, but the slayer politely declined, both because she was used to Kirara (who had unfortunately remained outside, securing the entrance) and because she was slightly unsure how well the ferry girl would be able to manage her oar – thus refusing for both their sakes.

It took them several minutes to find the great hall where Kagome was resting and regaining her strength. Once she had managed to stand up, she noticed something strange in the rubble from where the fox demon had risen after being spectacularly hurled against the wall. Pushing a few larger stones aside, she discovered with surprise that it was what had been given and taken from her so long ago – the fan of the wind witch, Kagura. After a few seconds of musing over why he would keep it, she supposed that it was because of the scent all demons were giving off. It was likely that this was giving off the smell of Kagura and thus, of Naraku as well.

Perhaps she could show it to Kirara to memorize, she decided, and thus resolved to keep it. After all, besides having had the fan for quite some time, the kitsune had snatched the youki orb; he wouldn't be missing this. At least, it wasn't too likely. For a few moments, she managed to entertain herself with the thought of someone like him carrying a woman's fan around as if it were the most natural thing in the world, but it didn't last too long.

In her attempts to store and restore her power, she almost hadn't sensed the three otherwise familiar presences zooming towards her position at great speed before she heard two sets of rapid footsteps and a swooshing sound. That was how the others found her – leaning against the broken naginata, but obviously all right, though she looked a little worse for the wear than she had been when they had ended up separated. Her bow was on the ground nearby and she looked twice as tired as she felt.

She was startled for a moment before hearing the familiar cries of her name, calming her despite their panicky nature. In her current state, she would have had problems fending off even the most mediocre demons effectively.

"Kagome-chan!" Sango ran immediately to her best friend, who fortunately seemed generally all right. "What happened here?"

"Nothing too uncustomary when it comes to Hakudoshi. Wait!" Kagome paled slightly. "He escaped and InuYasha was after him! Did you guys see either of them?"

Miroku, who inspected the damaged blade of Hakudoshi's former weapon, frowned somewhat. "Hakudoshi is no more; I'll take the liberty of assuming you were the one to almost destroy him again, Kagome-sama." A nod. "Well, the head that was escaping flew past us and we were fortunate enough to strike when we had the chance. But we didn't see InuYasha anywhere nearby. I don't sense him even now… it is likely he lost his quarry. These ruins are very odd."

"Wasn't Hakudoshi the one infusing the power into the ruins?" Sango asked, in the obvious hopes that the enchantments – for lack of a better word – had lifted already.

But the monk didn't seem at all convinced of that as he tossed the blade aside. "In any case, as we have Botan-san and the jewel back," he spared the aforementioned object a brief glance, as it was glowing softly as usual around Kagome's neck, "we should be heading out of here. Even with Hakudoshi destroyed, I sense several strong demonic auras in the vicinity and with Kagome-sama as she is, it would be a risky battle for us."

It was the truth; admittedly, Kagome was physically the weakest of the three of them, which, when added to the fact that her powers were nearly depleted because she still hadn't recovered completely, made her somewhat of a liability. Moreover, they couldn't afford to lose her.

"You'll be riding with me, Kagome-chan." Botan suggested with surprising decisiveness. "You'll just have to hold tighter than you did last time, that's all."

But the priestess wasn't that concerned about herself. "Sure, but are _you_ all right, Botan-chan? You were being carried off by those wasps when I saw you last and you looked ill…"

"That surprised us as well." Sango interjected. "They were flying after Hakudoshi and had the chance to protect him from houshi-sama's kazaana, if they wanted to. The curious thing is that they seemed to hold back on purpose… as if they didn't want to save him."

"Why would they do that?"

"Maybe they didn't want to risk having Botan-san sucked in alongside them." Miroku suggested, but it was a doubtful argument. "After all, she was kidnapped precisely because Hakudoshi wanted us to follow her into this trap."

The ferry girl looked slightly miserable and guilt-ridden after that, but Kagome shook her head, remembering something Hakudoshi had said. _I don't understand why Naraku bothers keeping him…_

"What if… what if Naraku himself wanted to get rid of Hakudoshi?" she suggested. Perhaps it was too much of a far-fetched conspiracy theory, but she had to say it.

"You mean that he was past his usefulness or something like that?" Sango asked, but without much conviction. "I don't know, Kagome-chan; he was always able to trick us very well."

"Precisely, and we've already established that these offshoots of Naraku have their own minds and wills. So let's say that Hakudoshi decided that the life of a servant was not the one he intended to lead and had no intention of giving Naraku the jewel, if he managed to obtain it!"

The taijiya still looked sceptical, Botan had a quizzical expression, but Miroku seemed to consider the suggestion.

"It is a plausible possibility." he said finally, "But I suggest we discuss it once we're safe in Reikai and not in the middle of youkai-infested ruins. Do you need help, Kagome-sama?" the monk asked innocently as Kagome tried to mount Botan's oar. Sango gave him an extra hit just in case, though she knew that he would have been zapped by the jewel's purify had he tried anything. "Very well then – let us depart."

Their passage through the ruins was much quicker than it had been previously, as they did their best to remain together – it appeared that the ruins either lost their power or weren't opposed to allowing the people who tried to get out to remain together – only those going in were separated. Either way, it didn't really matter, as long as they were able to get out.

The landscape around the ruins remained the same, but the weather appeared to be changing. A chilly wind had picked up, storm clouds appeared in the distance and all of them – save for Botan, perhaps, who traveled to Makai only when picking them up occasionally – were well aware that storms in the demon realm could last for days. Literally.

Kirara was waiting patiently for them at the entrance, curled up in a corner, jumping up when she sensed them coming. There was no demon in sight of even Miroku's powers, which was a comforting thought, but not comforting enough to make them want to stay where they were.

There was a brief argument about who would be riding with whom on the way home – naturally, any woman who had known Miroku for over a minute would be jumpy about having to ride with him. Botan rather thought she'd have vivid nightmares of her rescue for months to come. But still, neither the oar nor Kirara could actually handle three people at the same time and so it required a bit of a sacrifice from one of them. Botan said bluntly that she was out of the question.

In the end, to speed things up and save himself from another slap, Miroku suggested that he and Kagome ride on Kirara while Sango joined Botan on the oar. "After all, Kagome-sama is immune to my cursed hand courtesy of the jewel." he reasoned, vividly remembering the nauseating and rather painful flash of purity he had received upon their first meeting. Sango, while shooting him a suspicious glance, grudgingly agree with that plan.

Kagome wasn't really listening to the whole conversation. She was still trying her best to make sense of all that had happened. The demise of Hakudoshi and all that had happened, the planned trap, the way the wasps had abandoned Naraku's creation at a crucial moment… the blasé way with which Hakudoshi had been discarded and the mysterious Kanna, who had vanished so quickly, as if she were unconcerned with any of the proceedings…

And then there was her rickety attempt to somehow seal an alliance with Youko Kurama – an unfinished attempt, to say the least. She still wasn't entirely certain what the thief's true intentions were, besides the fact that he clearly wanted to find Naraku as much as she did, though clearly for different and more selfish reasons. Hopefully, their next encounter – and Kagome was almost certain that they would meet again, though it was questionable when and where – would be as productive as this last one in terms of cooperation, though it would help if their cooperation would be enforced by a death-trap.

Come to think of it, where had InuYasha vanished to? Perhaps he had simply gotten lost in the catacombs and Naraku would come to reclaim him… Kagome was strangely angered by this. They had come so close to finally getting him and saving him – or at least restraining him – and once more, they were leaving empty-handed. In fact, they were no closer to even finding InuYasha, let alone Naraku, than they had been before.

Sometimes, she thought these trips to Makai were actually contra productive most of the time.

"So, the heroes sweep into action and save the damsel in distress from her impending doom. How utterly _pathetic_." A woman's voice drawled lazily from above, waking Kagome from her reverie just in time to see a somewhat familiar creature jumped from the stone gateway to lower ground in front of them.

Her new kimono was somewhat less elaborate in terms of embroidery patterns and decorations. It was white, almost simple, with mauve stripes snaking around the demon's feminine figure with grace, perhaps giving off the effect of hypnotic spirals. Small ornaments were also present on the fabric, in a surprisingly warm yellowish cream colour, representing something quite like the object she had lost some time ago. Her feet were bare, but she didn't seem to mind the cold stone.

"Though I suppose I _should_ be thankful to you people for destroying that brat." She wrinkled her nose slightly, her upper lip stiff in a sneer-like expression of victory. "Honestly, I could never stand all that ridiculous bragging he always did."

Only Kagome recognized the creature, but it was enough to get her on her feet. She didn't understand what was going on – after all, they had seen to it that the wind demon had been destroyed. The priestess had _seen _the death plant – though she didn't know its name – pierce her body. There was no way in heaven or hell even a demon could have survived such a fatal blow. And yet there was the familiar smirk and sassy manner, the eyes that gave off no reflection…

"Kagura!" the priestess half-gasped, half-cried. She had thoroughly forgotten that the wind witch was weaponless, but she didn't care to find out what other abilities the first Naraku-spawned creature she had encountered had. The fact that she was alive was astonishing enough.

The face of the witch was malevolence itself when she saw three weapons raised against her, at the ready to attack her if she did one wrong move. "Now, now, is this the way to treat a weaponless woman about to offer you the bargain of your life?" The priestess didn't look too convinced, but she was as confused as ever. Her companions were much more wary, as they clearly knew who they were dealing with from the blue-eyed woman's tales. Troublesome bunch, the witch thought with a click of her tongue and then frowned, a bit displeased. "And where did you leave that kitsune you've been travelling with? He was cute."

Botan, being the only one not keeping her eyes on Kagura, idly wondered whether Kagome always blushed furiously when she was, well, furious. The priestess paid that no heed, however; she seemed to have recovered from her fainting spell as well. "What bargain are you talking about?" she demanded, refusing to get sidetracked.

The witch's smirk broadened, her eyes almost glittering. "A bargain that secures a win-win situation for both of us." she said, completely ignoring Kagome's companions, as if they were beneath her notice. "An offer you can't refuse."

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_AN: _Come on; push that little blue button in the bottom left corner of the page. You know you want to… don't make me use Jedi Mind Tricks… (grin)


	15. A change in the wind

The long-awaited update is here! I hope the story isn't progressing too quickly – I was having problems with that in this part of the story, because this is when two parts of the plot have to be united and I didn't want to resort to unnecessary filler. If anything about the story should be altered, please tell me – I welcome suggestions and constrictive critique, though I may not always agree with the latter (wink). Otherwise, hopefully this won't get as complicated as the IY original storyline – I'm barely keeping track with the recent developments in the manga these days (le sigh) – all those power-upgrade arcs…

In any case, this was a very, very difficult chapter to write. So go on. Click the little review button down in the bottom left corner of the page. It'll make both of us feel better. Hopefully, the next chapter will be easier to write – meaning the wait for it will not be so long. Or maybe real life – and, namely, college – will intervene. Who knows? As they say on cartoon channels, stay tuned for the next episode, er, chapter!

Status report: I'm watching Slayers now – another fandom to obsess over! Yay! Xellos rocks my socks. Anyway, back to writing!

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**A change in the wind**

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"Though those that are betray'd do feel the treason sharply, yet the traitor stands in worse case of woe."

- William Shakespeare

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The traces of Kanna's energy began to fade, despite the swiftness of her pursuer, and soon after taking off, Youko was forced to conclude that it would be next to impossible to locate the child demon in the ruins when all he had to rely on was the slight scent of Naraku coming from her mirror. Briefly, he deliberated whether or not to return to where he had left Kagome, but decided against it almost immediately. Her friends would find her soon enough and that was a reunion he really had no need to be part of.

Besides, he had already done more than his usual amount of charity when he had helped the weakened priestess to her feet. That had been a more than sufficiently generous gesture. If Kanna hadn't decided to flee, he would have perhaps tried to take the jewel from Kagome this time, but the desire to hunt down Naraku had overwhelmed that impulse. The chance had passed, but there would be opportunities for an encore in the future, of that he was certain.

With a little help from his plants, the kitsune was able to navigate the ruins with relative ease and certainty, following the presences of his men, until he encountered an interesting sight. Apparently, their souls – they had clearly been incapacitated by Kanna – had yet to return and thus they were motionless on the floor, near a sealed door to some clearly important room. As there was nothing he could do for them even if he had the intention of helping, the challenge-eager side of him awakening, Youko examined the ancient door with a delicate touch. It took him about half a minute to figure out how to unlock the door and a minute later, he was already inspecting the inside of the chamber.

But something about the whole situation was slightly odd. There was no scent of Naraku within, despite the fact that it seemed that it was clearly his hideout; his treasure chamber. Come to think of it, the only time he had smelled the full scent of Naraku was when faced with the mirror. Even Hakudoshi had smelled slightly differently; it was his scent that was clearly here and there in traces. Yet here was a mass of fortunes that could be called immense, certainly great enough to secure a high position even in the Makai, but there was no sign around that Naraku had ever set foot here.

Youko came to the conclusion of betrayal or at least planned rebellion much quicker than Kagome did, which was only natural, for various reasons, one of them being that he himself had somewhat similar plans for the distant future. Still, it was meagre compensation for all the troubles they had gone through thanks to the white demon-child. Gradually, lights zoomed into existence behind him and the fox demon waited patiently for his comrades to awaken.

They seemed very surprised to find themselves on the floor – Kuronue in particular – but it seemed that none of them had been separated from the group in the same fashion he had been. That was a time-saving relief, for sure.

"What… what happened? Kurama?" the bat demon half-asked, half-demanded, upon seeing that Youko was the only one who was not getting off the ground. "We got separated…"

"It's passed." Youko interjected, more softly than he usually would. "Everyone's souls should be back in place now. We should leave this place as soon as possible." He glanced back at the piles within the chamber with little interest. "Take whatever you wish, but do so quickly." And he turned to leave without actually taking anything himself. There was nothing of special value in the chamber anywhere, aside from the general fortunes that he had no real need of and even less will to carry around.

Within the minute, the others were faithfully scurrying after him, clearly of a different opinion when it came to the contents of the treasure room. They managed to get out of the ruins without problems, just in time to see two specks of light flying at a high speed vanish in the distance high above them, recognizable only because of the strong aura of the Shikon no Tama, which abruptly vanished, meaning that it had passed through the barrier between worlds and disappeared from the Makai.

It was such an overwhelming sensation that Youko was the only one who noticed another object soaring away from the ruins, almost indistinguishable from its surroundings, but even from the distance, it remained familiar, though he had seen it only once before. He would have called it impossible otherwise, but he was also able to sense that the wind that had picked up was not entirely natural. And that woman that had attacked him and the priestess months ago had called herself the wind witch. Still, he couldn't be certain – the stench of Naraku and his minions was everywhere, interfering.

Something had happened there…

The rest of the group noticed it only when they glanced at their leader to attempt to discern what he was thinking – an impossible task, generally. "Do we follow it?" one of the demons asked, briefly forgetting about the jewel, which was thoroughly out of their reach now.

Youko didn't need even a moment to think about it; he simply turned away without hesitation. "Forget it. It isn't our concern." he said in a very blasé manner. "We're going back to the village."

There were several possibilities on what might have happened, but currently, his concern was none of that. After this little sidetracking trap, the fox demon resolved to keep at least one eye out for Naraku and not only wait for Reikai to discover anything. It seemed that they were relatively slow in the art of information gathering, in any case. However, perhaps this rather grandiose move by the enemy signified that the time of waiting had passed and that it was time to really start the battles.

Back at the village, it seemed that the stolen souls of the demons that had looked into Kanna's mirror had safely returned – they seemed exhausted, but otherwise unharmed. There was little time for celebration – as soon as their well-being was secured, Youko immediately ordered an "evacuation" of sorts of the village. Not everyone seemed to be in agreement with that, but once it was revealed that Kanna still remained in existence, no one was keen to suffer the same fate as those who had fallen victim to her mirror the first time.

"So what do you think the point of this whole little trap was?" Kuronue asked while the rest of the village was preparing their belongings for a change of the main base – they had several similar hideouts scattered within a few hundred miles, thus it wasn't too difficult a task. Besides, changing residence was an expected thing for thieves, thus they always travelled lightly and kept their most precious belongings with them or within the safe that was safely hidden far away, secured by the most lethal plants in their leader's possession.

Youko had also posed himself that question before. He had encountered Naraku personally only once, and that had been when InuYasha had been rescued from him long ago. There was very little reason the other demon might have for fighting against someone as famed and strong as him – and that was reasoning without bragging.

"I'm not quite certain, but it clearly has something to do with the Shikon no Tama and that priestess, Kagome." the kitsune noted, collecting the scrolls he always spent his free time reading and examining.

"Speaking of that, what was she doing there?" the bat demon asked in addition, then answered his own question. "Maybe this was a group-trap kind of thing, intending to destroy all possible opposition at once?"

"Perhaps."

But it was still somewhat of an incomplete answer. He was missing something. Partially grudgingly, Youko had to admit to himself that the information he had about Naraku was either incomplete, flawed or useless. And that was an admission made while believing that Kagome had told him all she knew about the demon. She had intended to make an alliance with him, after all and wasn't the type to withhold information or deceive a would-be ally.

"Hey." The fox demon felt a hand pat him on the shoulder firmly, as if in reassurance and Kuronue backed up the gesture with a would-be grin. "Take it easy, Kurama. Everyone gets tired of playing cat and mouse eventually. And when this Naraku guy rears his ugly head, it'll be easy to crush him. So don't worry."

"The only thing that worries me is that I can't see his motive for doing this." Youko explained, holding back a sigh. Kuronue was right; he couldn't allow one problem to take over his entire thinking. There were other fish in the sea that didn't involve bloody revenge. Or only revenge, really – the bloody part might actually remain true even for them. But there was no sense worrying about it in the present. Youko, while constantly planning ahead, had also learned to live in the present.

"Well, you'll figure it out sooner or later, I bet." Kuronue said in a carefree manner, as if this wasn't nearly enough to be concerned about.

And it actually worked to lighten the kitsune's mood, if only temporarily. "Well, I suppose you actually do have some uses beyond annoying the hell out of me."

"Are you kidding? That's my main job here. The rest I do is a freebie – and since you get the full service package on goodwill, you could consider raising my share by, say, fifty percent…"

An ear twitched in mild annoyance at the mention of monetary issues involving him giving away money. "You're not _that_ useful, Kuronue."

"But I'm effective – you're being yourself again." The bat youkai gave hopeful grin, because there was really no way even Youko could get out of that without overexerting his logic.

And the kitsune didn't really feel like finding a loophole in that statement. "Point taken."

"So you should really consider…"

"Shutting you up manually?" The interjection was all too cheerful, which meant that it was very, very serious. "Certainly."

At a different place, at a different time – namely, hours in the past – another conflict was taking place, this one being of a much less painful but much more important nature. The group from Reikai had just left the ruins in Makai, only to be stopped by the sudden reappearance of Kagura, the wind sorceress that was thought to have been killed by Youko's plants. Yet there she stood, seemingly completely unharmed…

Kagome was unnerved by the surprising turn of events. What kind of bargain could a servant – no, a _spawn_ of Naraku – hope to strike with her?

"How did you know we'd be here?" Sango demanded before Kagome could respond to the mysterious offer. The slayer didn't seem to be taking the mention of the bargain too seriously; she was more concerned with the fact that another spawn of Naraku had shown up on such short notice.

That didn't escape the attention of the wind witch, whose smirk was barely concealed, but her eyes didn't leave the face of the priestess. "There won't be a second chance. Take it or leave it." She said, ignoring the question. She made no hostile moves – not that she could, without her fan – but her impatience matched her impertinence.

"What does Naraku want with Kagome-sama?" It was Miroku's turn to ask, but Kagome somehow found the question pointless. Something was telling her that this wasn't a mission Naraku sent his servant on. After all, they had proven that they were capable of defeating Kagura, so there was no point in sending her after them again. This visit had another purpose entirely.

"I'm listening." the priestess interjected, focusing on maintaining eye contact with Kagura, whose smirk broadened with satisfaction. "And if it's mutually beneficial, as you claim, I will accept the bargain."

"Very good." the witch said with a wicked grin. "It's simple, really. You've been searching for Naraku without success for the past few months, right? And you've killed loads of demons he sent after you. If you manage to get close enough, you'll be able to purify him as well." That wasn't praise; those were facts. Someone had done quite a lot of research on the matter beforehand. "So here's the bargain: I'll tell you exactly where Naraku will be at a given time… and you kill him." Kagura said, apparently enjoying the vision of Naraku being dead. Or perhaps she merely enjoyed making the dramatic pauses.

Though without any theatrics, Kagome's companions looked surprised by this – Botan actually gasped slightly – but the priestess, blinking only once, already had a question at the ready.

"You're betraying Naraku?" she frowned. "Why?"

Kagura scoffed. There were a thousand reasons and she had neither the time nor the patience to list them all. Was that so hard to understand?

"It's not as if I wanted to be his lackey in the first place. Besides, he's a rotten bastard who deserves to see his high-and-mighty plans crash around his ears." She simplified it all thusly to demonstrate that she really meant that she wanted to see him fall.

"You know about his plans?" Miroku caught up with the conversation and the witch finally glanced at him, though it was a taunt leer.

"He doesn't trust me with those things. The only one who knows about such things is Kanna and she's not exactly the chatty type. Then there was that brat Hakudoshi, but he's toast now – not that it's much of a shame." she explained, huffing slightly and muttering something clearly unflattering about her "brother" under her breath. She then looked at Kagome again, raising an eyebrow in question. "Well? Do we have a deal?"

All eyes present were on the priestess. Kagome herself wasn't as doubtful as the others. There was something about Kagura… she couldn't really explain it, but somehow, she had the impression that the wind witch was being sincere in her desire to free herself from Naraku. For a brief moment, she tried to imagine what it was like, to be created for a life of slavery and servitude…

"Can't you just run away from Naraku?" she asked, some pity creeping into her voice.

Kagura was slightly taken aback by the question and her eyes widened for a fraction of a second. Never had anyone spoken to her with concern… for her well-being. It was endearing, but also highly annoying, for some reason. But this time, she chose to tell at least part of the truth to her quasi-ally.

"No can do. The bastard's made insurance so that his "children" wouldn't disobey him. The moment I turn tail and run, he cuts off my life force."

"But won't you die when Naraku is destroyed?" Miroku asked, bringing some doubt into the matter. "If he is the source of your life-force, won't you be destroyed along with him?"

The wind witch shook her head. "I'm a separate entity and not linked to him any longer. Let's just say that he's got an ace up his sleeve and I can't act directly. But he won't suspect you being in league with me." Finally, the triumphant smirk returned. "You're too much of a goodie-goodie in his eyes for that, miko-san." The title came out slightly ironically, but Kagura seemed positively gleeful about being able to outwit Naraku like that. "So what's your answer?"

"Don't, Kagome-chan." Botan suddenly piped up, a bit frightened when Kagura glared at her. "It's definitely against regulations to make a pact with a demon enemy. Besides, we've no proof that we can trust her! It's too much of a risk."

"You stick to being the tour guide, jou-chan." the witch snapped non-too-kindly before her reflectionless eyes turned to the priestess in anticipation. "Well?"

Kagome almost bit her lip, but then gave a curt nod, as if she herself wasn't entirely sure of her reasons for doing this. "Deal. Tell me where Naraku is."

But the witch had other plans. But she did seem slightly overly gleeful about the agreement. Perhaps she hadn't expected such a quick affirmative response. "Nuh-uh, it doesn't work like that. It would be too suspicious if you found him immediately after Hakudoshi got taken down. I gotta keep a low profile, otherwise he'll suspect that he has a traitor on his hands and I'm the first he'll suspect. Besides, I don't _always_ know where Naraku is. I'm not his keeper."

While it was understandable, it was also deeply suspicious. But though they thought the same thing at the same time, Sango and Miroku remained silent this time and left the negotiations to Kagome.

"What are you planning, then?"

"You guys need to lay low for a few weeks before we can put the plan into action." Kagura explained swiftly. "There's no doubt Naraku'll have some scheme of his own started by then and you'll get called back here for the clean-up. I'll make sure I follow the largest flock of demons he sends. I should have the time and place found out for you by then." Without warning, the wind witch reached out into her hair, tied in a sound knot, and drew one of the two white decorative feathers, which expanded quicker than the eye could see. Before they knew it, Kagura was high above them, hovering in the air on her feather. "I'll see you guys then!" And she was off and away.

There was a moment of silence that seemed heavier than the entire previous situation. Finally, Sango was the one to break it. "Do you really think we can trust her, Kagome-chan, houshi-sama? I really think there's something odd about this whole bargain."

Kagome watched Kagura's exit; it was Miroku who answered. "Whether we trust her or not isn't the issue here. She said that she would bring us to Naraku, which is the most important of all she told us."

"It could be another trap." the taijiya warned.

"True, that is entirely possible. But if it is, at least we're walking into it prepared." Miroku noted, but his face was grim. "If it by chance isn't a set-up, it confirms the theory Kagome-sama described to us. These spawns of Naraku aren't merely tools he uses – they have their own free will and ability to act upon it, though they are under his control. If they are as treacherous as this, willing to side even with us to break free of Naraku, then either he is truly beyond monstrous or they are desperate."

"That is only proof that we shouldn't trust her!" Botan joined in. she appeared to be slightly sulky about the decision to ally themselves with Kagura – a demon. "This could very well be a double-cross! What if Kagura turns on you the moment she is free? She never said what she intended to do with her freedom!"

Kagome finally stopped watching the witch and shook her head. "Kagura isn't strong enough to take on even one of us without major problems. She can't be foolish enough to think we will be so easily overpowered. Besides, she's counting on our strength to get her free."

"Meaning she realizes that her power is insufficient to beat Naraku." Miroku added as an explanation to a still-perplexed Botan. "And if we defeat Naraku, who is stronger than her, then logically we can defeat her as well, should she try anything afterwards."

The ferry girl still looked slightly confused, but Kagome gave her a smile in reassurance. "Don't worry, Botan-chan. She won't try anything. She can't, actually. Not as long as I have this." And the priestess drew a decorative fan from her sleeve, showing it to the others. "This is Kagura's weapon; if I'm right – and I think I am – she can't fight very well without it."

"Where did you get it, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked with a mild frown, examining the object again. It seemed to be the last thing on earth that could be used as a weapon. "You didn't tell me as much before."

In retrospect, perhaps she really ought to learn to think before speaking, Kagome berated herself. She could almost feel the drop of sweat rolling down her temple lazily and her own nervous smile slipping along with it. She had never been much of a liar, certainly not to her best friends, and Sango qualified as just that. Besides, she had every intention of telling them all that had happened… once they were safe and back in Reikai, that is.

What was she to say, anyway? That she found it on the ground… where Youko Kurama just _happened_ to drop it accidentally before dashing off after Kanna?

Eventually, due to Sango's concerned glances, Kagome told them what had happened after their separation on the way to Reikai. Sango looked worried, but in truth, she was more concerned with the fact that Kagome seemed to have problems confiding such troubles to them. Having problems with confiding in Miroku she could understand, but she wondered why Kagome seemed reluctant to speak of this even to her.

Momentarily, the image of the kitsune thief surfaced in Sango's mind from their relatively brief encounter. And with it, a very improbable thought came. Could it be that Kagome…?

She glanced at her best friend, who seemed to be more worried about how they would react to knowing that she had so narrowly regained the jewel than about just how narrowly she had escaped with her life. But no, Sango decided. She was being paranoid. Even after so long, she still viewed Kagome as she might see a younger sister, though in truth it was the priestess who was somewhat older. Kagome had enough wisdom – and if not that, then enough devotion to their cause and conviction in righteousness – not to fall victim to illogical infatuation. Besides, she was a priestess – if nothing else, her discipline was iron.

What had possessed her to compare Kagome's hesitation to admit wiling cooperation with a demon to the behaviour of an adolescent unwilling to acknowledge infatuation to others? That was pure absurdity.

"Kagome-chan." the taijiya stopped the priestess after dismounting in Reikai. "I'm just worried about you. Something is not right about all of this – just… be careful with this demon. Never trust him completely. I don't know what reason he has for helping you so frequently, but I can assure you that it isn't because of any sympathies."

To her relief, Kagome nodded without hesitation. "I'm not fooling myself with vain hopes, Sango-chan. Kurama is a demon and a thief at that – I can't change either of those facts and I accept that. But as our goals overlap, I thought it might be useful to at least ask him to consider a truce. I don't think I did anything wrong – at least, I hope so. If he tries to get the jewel, rest assure that he won't be getting any special treatment from me. I know where my loyalties lie."

Sango smiled sadly. "I'm not questioning your loyalties, Kagome-chan. I'm just saying that you're too kind-hearted and he's quite cunning. The most dangerous of enemies hide beneath the mask of friendship. I don't think I have ever been more unsettled by a demon than when he captured me and treated me as if I were an invited guest of honour for a tea party." It was not an easy thing for the experienced taijiya to admit, but she believed it to be for the best.

"Aren't I always careful?" Kagome said, trying to laugh, but she took the words to heart. She had to stop her attempt at laughter when Miroku made his usual entrance and indulged his hand's desires to Sango's discomfort at the worst possible moment in their conversation.

"But I only wanted to cheer you up, Sango!" the monk cried helplessly as he dodged blow by blow while escaping from the reach of Sango's fists, this time rather effectively.

"HOUSHI NO HENTAI!"

Botan watched this with mild interest, but Kagome, who had already seen this a thousand times previously, only gave a small, weak laugh when the ferry girl gave her a quizzical look.

"One day, those two are going to get married, and by all that's holy, I'll make sure I'm there to see it." she conspired with herself quietly, explaining the situation to Botan in a whisper, though there was no need to lower her voice – the pair was making quite enough noise to overlap even the busy sounds of the palace offices.

Besides, it wasn't as if the whole palace was quietly making bets on when those two would get together, thanks to Sango's frequent beatings. It was only a question of what would come first – Miroku finally getting to know every detail he wished to know and quitting his explorations or Sango giving him a permanent concussion and beating the lechery out of his skull. Many a ferry girl would appreciate that, for certain.

The ferry girl blinked a bit, but gave a slightly melancholic sigh while watching Sango chase Miroku around. "So this is what true love looks like?"

"The "true" part is questionable, but if that isn't love, then I'd rather not imagine what hatred looks like." Kagome said, lightening up slightly. "Come on, Botan-chan; it seems making the report to Koenma-sama is up to us this time."

Unbeknownst to either of them, Kagome and Youko followed a somewhat similar pattern of existence for the next month. Both of them took up questioning people for sightings of Naraku or, in Kagome's case, Kagura. The priestess asked the SDF members to watch out for the demon of that description. All men on Youko's horde knew Naraku's scent and were to automatically kill anything even vaguely resembling it. And every day, at the end of the day, both of them posed the same question to their underlings, always receiving the same answer.

No sighting.

It seemed as if they had virtually disappeared from the face of the earth, both of them.

Youko still wasn't able to figure out Naraku's exact aims, especially because he received almost no up to date information. Kagome only waited for any kind of signal from Kagura, worrying quite often whether or not Naraku had found out about her betrayal. Was she waiting for nothing, then? But it didn't seem so. In any case, Naraku had yet to show his ugly head. Only sometimes did Kagome wonder just what he might want with jewel. More often, she pondered Kikyo. InuYasha as well, but he was something more real, thus less difficult to deal with. Kikyo was the mystery. Kikyo was abstract.

The thieves continued to operate normally, only their stable base remained changed. Nothing out of the ordinary happened – no news. Youko was satisfied, in general, with their recent exploits, though a tiny bit of him still remained irked by the fact that a low-class creature such as Naraku managed to escape his far-reaching notice for so long without any kind of detection. Fortunately and unfortunately, no new spawns of the creature appeared either.

It was frustrating. And none of the treasures they managed to recover and acquire during that time could ease that discomfort. He was by then positively certain that he would be satisfied only when he saw Naraku's head impaled on a spear.

And then, finally, one side received a sign.

It would have been winter by Ningenkai estimates; but seasons in the Makai were slightly different than those in the human realm. For one thing, Makai was much vaster, much less cultivated and much more difficult to explore. There were all kinds of climates present and a human might faint in shock by the mere sight of the landscape, let alone that of its inhabitants.

Sometimes, when there was a shortage in SDF members because of an operation or an emergency, the presence of Kagome or one of the others – all of which were known as the "Shikon Squad" to the SDF – was requested for security purposes in the area of Makai under Reikai control. This time, there had been major hostilities in a particular area; the troublemakers had been dealt with courtesy of King Yama's forces, but they had called upon Kagome to purify the area with her presence, so that no demon in the vicinity would miss the message. It would seem as if she herself had been present during the operation.

Kagome prepared to fulfil her duty and started emitting the purifying energies into the surrounding lands. It was as if a light slowly began powering up in pitch-black darkness. At least, that was how it must have appeared to any creature with the faintest spirit energy within miles from her. it was working very effectively, combined with the powers of the jewel. As long as it remained pure, it was like an amplifier of her abilities, minimizing the energy and time she needed for such a task.

She was in the middle of her purification – much to the awe of those of the SDF who had insisted on accompanying her to witness the "ritual" of sorts when another pair of SDF soldiers rushed towards her, calling for her, thus causing her to interrupt the process of purification. Though she hadn't requested it in any way, they always addressed her as "Kagome-taichou", despite her not being a member of the SDF troops, officially or unofficially. Still, she had given up on dissuading them from doing so long ago.

"Kagome-taichou!" the soldier who managed to get to her sooner cried, "We have captured a demon who claims to have your permission to speak with you. Shall we dispose of it?"

The priestess didn't necessarily like how they referred to demons as "it", but knew better than to correct their grammar at a moment such as that. "Has the demon attacked you?"

"No, Kagome-taichou. It seems it was trying to sneak past us, but gave up on the idea when we sensed its youki." the soldier reported. "It gave us this, saying that you would recognize it." Upon saying that, he presented an object that might have been insignificant to anyone, but Kagome recognized the white feather immediately. How fortunate that Kagura had a spare, just in case these soldiers wouldn't take too kindly to her presence.

She gave a nod, brushing one finger against the feather in her palm. "Call off whatever men are detaining her – I wish to speak with Kagura-san in private. Make no records of her presence. This is classified Reikai business involving the case of a dangerous demon. No information leaks can be allowed. Understood?" She spoke with more authority than she felt she ought to. It was practice of the centuries, really – she had never thought she was much of a leader, but apparently, the many times the role had been thrust upon her had proved her wrong.

Some of the soldiers exchanged slightly suspicious or at least questioning looks – they were clearly wondering what kind of case would require associating oneself with a demon. But none of them dared question the orders they received. The SDF were trained to obey, not to question.

The general reply – the only reply – that echoed throughout the glade left no room for disobedience. "Hai, Kagome-taichou."


	16. The merry go roundabout

Another chapter down! And this one deals with major plot lines moving forward! W00t! Anyway, I've finished watching the Slayers anime and I managed to get through all published chapters of the Bleach manga. Both are highly cool series, I recommend them to everyone. But I'm still into InuYasha and Yu Yu Hakusho as ever, so don't worry about this story not getting completed. I don't have any plans for starting new stories at the moment, so I'll really do my best on this one.

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**The merry-go-roundabout**

X X X X X

"Never explain; your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway."

- Elbert Hubbard

X X X X X

When Kagome entered the room where she was to speak with Kagura, she assumed that the wind witch would look as smug as ever – and she was right. But she thought she also sensed the slightest tension in the air, the slightest frown creasing her brow as she sat on the desk in the office-like administrative chamber. As soon as the priestess entered, she wiped whatever trouble was weighing her down off of her face and surveyed Kagome with an almost hungry expression, a desperate eagerness.

In that moment, Kagome believed Kagura completely and almost forgot all caution.

She handed the feather back to the wind witch, taking care not to make any skin contact – but Kagura's hand twitched back nonetheless, though when she realized why that had happened, she gave a rather wolfish grin.

"So you got my message. Good to know."

"You have the time and place, then?" Kagome asked without a pretext. There was no time or need for pleasantries anyway.

"Time is unimportant at the moment. It doesn't seem as though the castle's going to be moving anytime soon." The priestess looked quite surprised and wondered whether that was a sarcastic metaphor or a fact. "But Naraku's there, that's for certain. Seems it's just that time of the month." It was clear that Kagura was fighting a snicker this time, as it was a very bad pun, but Kagome only looked as confused as ever.

In any event, only one thing mattered. "You will take me there?" The task she had been sent to accomplish in the Reikai-controlled part of the demon world could wait. But this… this she had been waiting for… for half a year already, which was a record in terms of mission length for their team.

Kagura looked baffled. "Now? What about the houshi and the taijiya?"

The priestess didn't even consider thinking of an answer. Sango was in a whole different part of Makai and Miroku had duties in Reikai to take care of. Missing this chance was out of the question. She would suffice, though she would make a mental note of being extra careful this time.

"Right now." Kagome nodded firmly, whipping out a white ribbon from her sleeve and swiftly tying her hair into a tight ponytail.

The wind witch actually froze with amazement for the briefest second before shaking the sensation off and returning to her usual snappy cynical persona. "You're either suicidal or stupid – or both – but you've got some serious guts. All right, then." Kagura slid off the table and tucked the white feather back into her neat bun. "But not _right_ now… if we enter when he knows I'm out, let alone _together_, I think he might get a hint of what's up."

Kagome finished her swift change of hairstyle with a flick of her wrist and acknowledged that there was some logic to what Kagura was saying, albeit slightly grudgingly.

"What do we do, then?" She wanted to do this as soon as possible and every minute of waiting was a minute wasted.

"Well, for one thing, we make sure Naraku doesn't suspect me… much. It should seem like I botched a mission or something, because if you _really_ want to go alone..." Kagura received a nod, so she dropped the matter of dissuading the priestess – hopefully, it would work nonetheless. It was her one chance at freedom. It could very well prove a winning gamble, if the cards were played correctly. "Make it seem like I had no hand in you finding the compound."

That would probably be the most difficult part of the whole arrangement, but somehow, Kagome thought they could handle it. After all, if she could keep Naraku occupied and destroy him, there was no reason to worry – he would have no time to punish Kagura or even deal with her betrayal. She would have mentioned it if she thought it would have reassured Kagura, but the wind witch seemed to hold some kind of grudging respect for her hated creator, or at least a wary acknowledgement of his abilities.

"Will a few hours be wait enough?" Kagome asked, against her own will. If it were up to her, if she knew where to go, she would have set out within the minute.

This offer seemed to be in accordance with Kagura's plans. "That'll be enough. The estate is pretty far away on foot anyway and I can't bring you in through the air too far into the area. I'll have to drop you off an hour's journey away from the place… at least." Then, remembering the unpleasant sensation she had felt upon accidentally touching the priestess, Kagura frowned slightly. "But I'm not entirely sure how long I can stay at such proximity to you. No offence, but your aura probably can knock out a weak demon after long-term exposure."

"That's quite all right. I can handle a hike through the forest." Kagome said reassuringly, double-checking if she had enough arrows. "So do we leave now, then?"

"Yeah, before these SDF explode from inner conflict."

Kagura was correct; the SDF didn't take too kindly to the demon's presence, but the fact that she was accompanied by Kagome-taichou seemed to shut their mouths effectively. The priestess didn't elaborate the plan to even the division captain they met on the way – she simply said that she was leaving on an urgent assignment that was of the highest priority to Reikai, which was really a fancy way of saying that she was going and they were to shut up about it, or else. At least, that was how Kagura translated it to herself.

She didn't have time to look back town at the ground, but she imagined that at least one of the SDF agents had to faint from shock when the priestess actually climbed on top of the feather herself and they took off into the setting sun.

The journey was relatively quiet; for someone usually so hyper, it was certainly uncustomary, but Kagome had a lot on her mind. She was doing the right thing, but perhaps for the wrong reasons. But she herself had not yet reached that conclusion, scenes she had only heard about continually repeating themselves in her mind.

"So… not to interrupt your thoughtful brooding, but you never actually answered my question." Kagura noted after some time, not glancing back. Perhaps she believed the illusion of casualty she was emitting would be shattered thusly.

And it worked; Kagome raised her head questioningly, blinking once or twice. "What question?" She didn't remember any unanswered questions. Besides, they had worked out all the details.

The wind witch gave a slightly smug smirk, barely concealed even though she wasn't facing Kagome. "You never did tell me what happened to fox boy. I was hoping to get some compensation for my troubles, you know, if only visual. Don't tell me you ditched him, I know you're not that stupid."

The priestess almost fell off the narrow feather – they were in the middle of a conflict so grand-scale and Kagura wanted to discuss… she didn't even know what to call it… lewd thoughts? Maybe. And maybe she should introduce the wind witch to Miroku properly.

"We aren't really allies." Kagome cleared her throat somewhat, a clear signal that she didn't want to discuss such a topic.

"Oh? Do you understand what that word means? Collaboration, cooperation, common goals. Common aims, more like it." the witch amended, again showing her knack for puns, good and bad both. This was one of the better ones, as Kagome had truly shot an arrow at her at their first encounter, but missed. Youko had succeeded in hitting her. "I think you two back then had just that."

"Yes, _had._ Call it allies out of necessity or convenience. We went our separate ways once there was no further need for our association."

Now that was a lot of big words on the defensive front. Kagura gave a slight chuckle, which, surprisingly, seemed to annoy the priestess. Messing with her was so easy for someone with such aged and oh-so-wise mind. And it was the only amusement she had at hand, so the witch indulged in it whole-heartedly.

"I'm not suggesting anything, dear oh-so-pure miko-sama." The tone she used suggested otherwise, being completely devoid of innocence. "I'm just saying that it's your loss that you didn't."

"Kagura!" Finally, the priestess raised her voice slightly, but attempted to rearrange her composure at once. "Enough of this. Please." she added for emphasis. "Those are distractions."

"Oh, he's a _major_ distraction, I'll say…"

"Kagura…"

"Aw, come on." The witch pouted slightly, though Kagome couldn't tell if it was meant mockingly or not. "Holy shrine maidens are forbidden to lie no matter what the case. You can't deny the facts."

Just like it was undeniable that Kagome's face had gained a slightly darker shade of rose around the cheeks. She would certainly not be confiding anything in Kagura. Unfortunately, her silence was more than a profound answer to the witch, who kept silent for the rest of the journey, enjoying watching Kagome squirm – the priestess kept expecting a remark that never came. It was pure enjoyment. Apparently, not even miko were completely untainted saints – or rather, blind, deaf and dumb ingénues.

What seemed to be – and possibly was – hours later, the enchanted feather landed almost exactly an hour's journey from the estate. Kagura didn't even bother tucking the feather back into her hair – she just watched the priestess dismount.

"The palace is to the northeast from here, several dozen miles." the wind witch explained, pointing in the right direction. Kagome already felt a strong concentration of distinct youki from there. Too much to be unintentional – demons usually concealed their presence from others. She imagined demons would be able to sense the scent pretty well. Subconsciously, she regretted not having Youko Kurama at her side at the moment, but perhaps even Kirara would have done the trick.

She had to ask Sango where one could get flying nekomata. Or if Kirara could breed. Kittens sounded like a good idea – they could use them very well.

Kagura saw the priestess zone out for a bit too long and frowned, as if sizing the other woman up. "You sure you can handle this? Maybe we ought to really fake a fight, you know, to make it seem more convincing."

"You are weaponless and Naraku knows it." Kagome said, settling the matter abruptly. "And I don't think it will be necessary."

The witch shrugged. "All right, then. But remember, there won't exactly be second chances if you blow this." It was her own way of saying that she was counting on the priestess, perhaps; a way that utilized that carefree, almost snobbish manner Kagura sometimes had.

Be careful, she would be saying if she were human, whatever selfish her reasons or great her pride. Kagome tried to be grateful for it, but her mind was already set on finding and battling Naraku.

"It will work." she said firmly, swinging her bow off her shoulder. "It will." Kagura certainly hoped so. "And Kagura," The wind witch was about to take off, waving over her shoulder to the priestess to signify her departure, and turned her head in surprise. She then whirled around to catch a familiar object the priestess tossed her. She examined it; it was her fan, the one she had lost in her first battle with the priestess and the fox demon. "It doesn't work that well with my outfit."

X X X X X

In a wholly different part of Makai, things were going on more smoothly and more bloodily than the catch-Naraku-unaware plan. Youko Kurama's horde of thieves had assaulted a particular estate, where a lingering smell of Naraku remained, even though none of the creatures created by him had set foot in there within the last few weeks. But once, it had been a residence, a safe haven for one of the incarnations of Naraku, the only one ever to survive a strong spiritual attack, be ripped apart and become two. The first half had been destroyed by Kagome's group. The second, taking the form of an infant, had been reabsorbed into the main body of Naraku.

Treachery was never left unpunished.

The estate remained. The smell remained.

"And a whole lotta gold!" one of the thieves roared gleefully, joined by the general laughter. No mercy was given, no questions asked. They were thieves, true, but this was a special case, as Youko had explicitly ordered them to slay anything and everything that even faintly smelled like the fan, like Naraku.

It was a rare opportunity for them to indulge in a relatively unnecessary bloodbath; the demons in the estate were weak and didn't stand a chance against even the weakest of them, but orders were orders – and this time, being demons, the orders were completely according to their gusto. Thus, they fulfilled them to the letter.

As any good leader should, Youko didn't remain a casual observer of the fighting, but joined in where the fighting was thickest and cleared the path to the entrance of the main building. To his disappointment, the scent faded in a strange cradle-like object. Otherwise, it was somewhat of a disappointment. There was no clue within the mansion as to where Naraku might be, thus it was clear that this hadn't been a settlement of the source of those pathetic incarnations.

The pursuit of Naraku had become somewhat of an obsession, no matter how minor, though he never allowed it to cloud his mind and judgment, and so he was slightly more frustrated by this than he usually would have been. Makai was vast… but it wasn't _that_ limitless. And his resources were large enough to be considered immense, his persuasion… influential. Yet he was unable to track one creature with such a distinct scent, a being that should stand out in Makai, as he wasn't fully a demon.

Perhaps this was arrogance, but he didn't care. Youko was old and powerful enough to understand that even though arrogance was a weakness from a wise person's point of view, he had a certain right for it. It was, in a way, his prerogative. But then, he had never been faced with the possibility of failure before and thus had never quite understood just how confident in his own abilities and resources he was.

And, to be brutally honest, he hated it almost as much as he had learned to hate Naraku, if only for showing him that there were actually limits to what even he could do.

He returned outside without even bothering to check if there was something worth his while within the rooms he had secured. There was no need; the men would gather whatever was needed and he would be the one sorting the loot anyway. Everyone trusted his judgment when dealing with hazardous or at least unidentified objects – it was a fact. However, if anything caught his interest, it was the object that unwillingly reflected light into his face when he returned outside.

The battle – or rather, the slaughter – was still going on around him, though it was unnecessary to join in. the situation was mostly under their control. Only one thing was not.

Time seemed to stop, sounds muted and everything came to a halt as the tiny figure of a child surfaced from the turmoil of battle. She walked calmly, without real interest in the surroundings, her eyes passive and almost out of focus. Perhaps she was utterly at peace; perhaps she simply didn't care about what could happen to her.

Youko knew this creature, loathed this creature along with her creator. The question was… what was she doing here, of all places? Her hands still held the accursed mirror, as if she never removed it from her grasp. As if the image wouldn't be complete without it.

Kanna stop just out of reach of his arms, but he could easily attack her with his plants, should she try another trick with her mirror. But the child made no such move. it was as before – at their previous encounter – Kanna raised the mirror slightly to allow the kitsune to see into it plainly.

Images resurfaced.

A deep forest in Makai, where two slender figures were debating something, but the mirage ended before it ever fully began. Then, faces surfaced – faces of previous visitors sent by Naraku. Kagura, soaring on her feather… Goshinki, slaying weaker demons… Juromaru and Kageromaru, one within the other…a child that resembled Hakudoshi, but a younger, more malevolent incarnation of him… and finally, Hakudoshi himself, riding a demonic horse, his face as smug as it had been in life.

And then…

A mass of demons, one and yet apart, separate and yet united, meshed together, torn into pieces… a deep, dark cellar within a forgotten place… beneath it, lower… a mass of dark curls that might have been rich, previously, now tangled, covering a human's head that was attached to a monster's body…

The crack on the mirror shone brightly, light bursting from it as one eye surfaced from the shadows beneath the long, dark hair, almost caramel-like in appearance. A pressure sent Kanna stumbling back, but her surprise was so well concealed it might not have actually been there.

The battle around them had minimized and the attention of most of the survivors was now fixed on Youko and the strange child. Kanna glanced up at the fox demon, whose face was crossed by a frown. He didn't know what to make of that vision. What was Naraku playing at? Showing all of the creatures they had encountered that were sent by him… what was the purpose behind this charade?

Kanna was the first ever who had no change of expression upon experiencing his sharp, questioning – no, demanding - gaze. It was as if she was a lost child who didn't understand the situation, not really, but then she was so much more.

And, quite suddenly, the whisper of a name. "Kagome."

Youko blinked – the white child was so statuesque that it seemed an impossibility that she might actually possess the power of speech, but it clearly wasn't the case. The creature that seemed to be an animated statue only spoke softly, without emotion, but her choice of words was odd.

"What's that thing, Kurama-sama?" Apparently, the slaughter part of the raid was over, as one of the more curious demons almost approached their leader when asking the question, though his eyes were fixed on Kanna.

But the child didn't seem to regard anything around her as very important. She wasn't even fully looking Youko in the eyes and when she was, it was uncertain whether she was focused or not.

_What of Kagome_? Youko didn't pose the question, but his expression was demand enough.

"She will face him." Kanna whispered. Youko didn't need to ask who _he_ was.

"Where?" he asked without a pretext, ignoring the curious glances of his men. He didn't understand why the child was saying this much, but decided to ponder it at a more convenient time.

For a moment, Kanna stood stock still. Then, she looked down into her mirror, an image resurfacing, of an estate, a palace, far, far away. Then, allowing the image to fade away, she let go of the mirror with one hand and pointed her pale hand in what hopefully was the direction of the mansion.

The second that Youko and the others wasted to glance in the direction she was showing was apparently enough for Kanna to make an exit – she had vanished from the spot, along with her mirror, along with her mysterious instruction.

No one knew what to think of this, but neither did they dare approach their leader, whose face was grim, determined, but most importantly, frightening in its resolution. Almost like when a predator spotted his prey, but without the joy, without the glee… there was something dark in his eyes, something uncustomary.

"Kurama," Kuronue was at his comrade's side, his tone hesitant his choice of words careful. "_What_ are you thinking? You aren't seriously going to take such an obvious risk for the sake of an enemy and revenge for some petty offence."

The word "petty" had been a wrong choice, apparently, as Youko shot him a dark glare. "The woman is inconsequential. The vengeance is not. Besides," he interrupted before Kuronue could make a sound. "This is a golden opportunity. This time, the Shikon no Tama will be ours."

The demons within earshot froze, uncertain what to think. All eyes were on their leader.

"All men available will go – I will lead this mission personally. Last time, the attempt was thwarted by chance. We will take advantage of the fact that this Naraku is after the priestess alone – her comrades will certainly be either detained or not present at all." He was planning out loud and at the last moment – two uncustomary changes that had even Kuronue slightly confused, especially when he saw the determination shining in his friend's eyes. He had seen Youko so enthusiastic about a heist only several times, and that had been quite a long time ago.

"But what about her powers, okashira?" another demon asked, voicing the concerns of all of them. They were all well-informed regarding the matter of purification.

But Youko had an answer even to that and, with a cold smile that actually reached his eyes, he allowed the rose in his hand to retransform back into its weapon form.

"She can destroy demonic bodies, yes." he admitted, still determined. "But she cannot destroy my plants. And if we don't manage to get her, at least we'll get the jewel. Leave binding her to me. You will secure the mansion, dispose of the filth and distract the priestess. Then, it will be a simple matter. Now," Fierce eyes of molten gold swept the crowd. "who is coming with me?"

The sound of thunder was drowned by a deafening sound, a roar of multiple voices, crying as one, cheering, shouting and, most importantly, volunteering and agreeing as one.

X X X X X

The contrast between Hakudoshi and Naraku became more profound upon Kagome's arrival to the place Kagura had identified as her maker's dwelling. The priestess had expected stonework or ruins, just as the other demon had preferred, but it was clear that she had been wrong on that account. There was no sign that the building was anything other than a high-standard household, a palace of nobility from the days of her mortal life, thoroughly misplaced in the Makai in terms of design.

It held the vague reminiscence of the castle of Kagewaki Hitomi, but the wood used as material for the building of this palace was darker and slightly more roughly crafted than the fine woodwork of the daimyo's estate. Despite the lateness of the hour, there were no guards around the palace, though the demonic aura it was giving off was tremendous. There was no doubt in her mind that Kagura had fulfilled her part of the bargain and that Naraku was indeed there, though she didn't have demonic senses of smell. It was as if his presence hung within the air, like a premonition.

No one tried to stop her as she entered the compound; no one even attacked her or showed up to "greet" her in the demonic sense of the word. Her footsteps seemed utterly heavy and echoed through the very walls. Only as she stopped in the centre of the area did a slight wind pick up. Her right hand gripped her weapon lightly and she attempted to locate the presence she was picking up with her senses. But it was in vain; it was almost as if it surrounded her somehow, though it was coming from a single target.

It was him; perhaps he was aiming for the dramatic effect, but Kagome was not so easily and quickly intimidated. Finally, the presence began to gather in a single point, at the entrance to the mansion some ten meters in front of her, and a demon materialized there. At first, he appeared utterly bestial, but when he raised his head, the priestess realized that it was merely because of the elaborate baboon pelt he was wearing, the skull covering his own head, allowing only the lower part of his face to be seen – a human-like face, as all strong demons preferred to disguise themselves.

"Welcome, Kagome-sama."

His voice, melodic and yet deep, made the impression of a caress of seduction that could easily send shivers down anyone's spine. Still, there was somewhat of a familiarity in the voice, but it was distant, the memory eerie, like the whisper from her darkest dreams. And yet he was speaking in almost candid tones, as if this invasion had been a planned and desired visit.

The priestess was wholly focused on not allowing her face to show any of the thoughts running rampant through her mind. She was almost overwhelmed with the impulse to loathe everything about him, from his enthralling voice to his imperious smile. And she wanted to see his face – she wanted to look into the eyes of her enemy. But the impulse to hate was outward somehow and she rejected it, no matter what its strength.

Somehow, she got the impression that he raised an eyebrow in amusement. She was unimpressed by the gesture.

"So, we meet at last, Naraku." she replied, not as amiably as she had been greeted. Without subtlety or mischief, she faced her long-time enemy, part of her already deliberating how long it would take to settle this. "Face to…" she wanted to say face, but that wouldn't exactly truthful. "skull…?" Somehow, the sentence didn't sound nearly as serious as it should have.

But it didn't have the desired effect on the demon. He wasn't intimidated in the least, not by her power or by her presence. "Kagome-sama. To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure of your visit?" he asked, as if this was a perfectly lovely meeting of long-term friends. There was something malicious within his velvety tone, buried deep within.

"Well," Kagome crossed her arms slowly, never once taking her eyes off her quarry. "Let's just say that you are rather popular with the wrong people."

"Perhaps…" the demon admitted easily, as if it was no big deal. "But that is not the reason you came." It wasn't a question; and it surprised even the priestess. This wasn't what she expected to hear.

"No, it isn't." Why she was admitting it, she didn't know herself. But she had no ability at lying and especially when faced with a truth she hadn't really admitted to herself.

A smile; no, a feral grin…. It wasn't teasing and it wasn't amusement either. It was something different.

"You are nothing like her." Each answer was surprising, but this one stunned even the priestess. Why was he telling her this? And why… was _she_… "But perhaps she would have done the same in your position."

"Who are you talking about?" But in a way, she already knew… she knew…

"You haven't come here because of InuYasha or because of me. You've come because of her."

Her eyes widened, the only motion her body made, as her feet seemed to be rooted to the ground. Kagome's whisper faded away as she glanced at the youkai she had never met, but who seemed to be able to read her way of thinking like an open book, finishing the pages before her quill wrote the last words. Knowing what she thought before she did… guessing the truth about the reason she truly came, why she refused to be logical and wait for her friends, for any kind of back-up.

"Kikyo."


	17. Demonic games

This chapter was long in the making, as I finished the concept of it in my mind, but never had the time to write it down in these last few weeks. College life is crazy, even the first week, and it's a lot more difficult than high school. Trust me, high school students, you're going to miss it when you graduate. Well, not the homework, maybe, but the easy atmosphere, definitely. And the morning lessons – I've got some lessons that end at eight p.m. – and it's three hours of law in a row!

At least I don't have to get up as early as I used to, though.

As for the story, this chapter was meant to be more action-oriented than the romance everyone is waiting for, but we'll get to that later on, so don't worry. After all, such a relationship has to have a foundation – I've recently written a wonderful little dialogue between Kagome and Kuronue that takes place later on in the story that involves a lot of teasing about this and a rather cynical initial outlook from the priestess's part. But, you know, the pairing is set, so it's not as if either of them can do anything about it. He he.

On a side note, I've decided to start learning Japanese through the wonder that the internet is. So wish me luck, minna-san!

PS. Whenever someone says "Kurama-sama", they rhyme. It was so much fun writing those parts!

X X X

**Demonic games**

X X X X X

"Innocence is like polished armour; it adorns and defends."

- Robert South

X X X X X

"What do you want from me?"

The question chanced into a demand before it even left her thoughts; Kagome realized that they were playing a very dangerous game. The creature in front of her was attempting to manipulate her, and while her realization of the fact was excellent, the fact remained that he could still achieve what he wanted.

But he held the answers – or some answers, in any case – to the questions she wished to pose. About InuYasha and, most importantly, Kikyo.

Though the skill mask revealed none of his expression, Kagome imagined that he raised an eyebrow in mocking doubt. "Oh? Isn't this only about what you want?"

"Are you mocking me?" Kagome resisted the impulse to grit her teeth. She hated when demons did this, especially those proficient at it. And Naraku was all but an expert at baiting people. Anger and insults usually didn't manage to get under her skin, but careful and subtle mockery was a different story entirely.

"I would not dare." Yet there was the fragrance of faint sarcasm lingering on each syllable. "You are a one-of-a-kind test subject."

"Like she was?" Kikyo…

Underneath his mask, Naraku watched the priestess with some interest. It was unbelievably childish to ask about Kikyo, who was no longer relevant in any way, but also perfectly logical.

"You speak as if you know her. You have no idea who Kikyo is."

"Was." Kagome corrected, without thinking about it. But then, she realized that she had no certainty that Kikyo was dead, save for the words of Kagewaki Hitomi and the madness of InuYasha.

Again, the sensation of a smile, unwelcome, a mocking leer.

"Indeed." Naraku agreed unhelpfully. She was so innocent, so pure, so beautiful… so revolting. Everything about her was absolutely repulsive to the demon, save for the fire she held in her eyes. In that, she differed from Kikyo. If only for that, she had caught his interest and managed to hold it, jewel or not. She would break one day and he would be satisfied with that.

"I came for answers, not your mockery." the priestess snapped, folding her arms. She wasn't in the mood for word games or trickery.

"Your answer is here."

As if a light had been lit overhead, Kagome noticed a cage for the first time. Though she had seen it once before, she didn't think she would ever grow used to the sight of a sentient creature caged. Right now, however, the most peculiar sight wasn't the cage itself. It was the resident of the cage, foreign but yet known to her, familiar and distant, demon… and not.

It was InuYasha, but he was different from before; his power seemed diminished, almost gone, and his appearance had changed as well. His clothing remained the same, but his hair had turned completely black, an entirely different colour than it had been before. It served to underline the series of black beads around his neck that he had clearly been unable to remove. Human-looking ears replaced those resembling that of a dog and though his eyes were closed, it was safe to assume that they weren't gold any longer.

It was the night Kagome had been ordered to search for, the one night when the hanyou lost his powers and perhaps even his madness completely, becoming an ordinary human. Perhaps both those guesses were true – the first certainly was – but there was no way to prove the second theory, as he was either unconscious or sleeping, which both amounted to the same.

Unhelpful, bait… and, unfortunately, one that actually worked.

"Release him!" Kagome called, her eyes revealing concern for the caged half-demon. Something was deeply wrong. "He has nothing to do with this!"

Naraku was as calm as ever. How could he not be? His observations had proven correct and everything was proving to be as predictable as he had supposed. At this rate, the success of his plans was going to be absolute.

"So, there are similarities after all." he noted casually, as if commenting the weather.

Before the priestess could respond, he sensed what she could not in her distress. Powerful energy gathering around the barrier he had constructed around his palace. Youki… the expected guests had arrived sooner than those unexpected. A slight miscalculation, nothing more, but enough to cause some problems. It would have to be dealt with immediately, but even he preferred do things one at a time. Which is why it was highly convenient to have disposable servants at the ready in these cases.

"It seems our guests have arrived prematurely." his deep, but melodic voice commented with a hint of laziness. "Kagura!" The wind witch, who had been sitting on the roof and watching from the distance, jerked up with fear, like a schoolgirl interrupted in the middle of a daydream during class. "Don't just stand there. Go greet them!"

For a second, Kagura was uncertain what to do. It would have been easier to watch, but then her plans would be revealed immediately and she really didn't fancy getting killed the moment she had a chance to finally change her fate. Reluctantly, she drew her feather and shot off into the sky, heading for the end of the barrier. She was slightly fed up with the fact that she hadn't been told about any guests arriving… and she had a knack of seeing when things were going according to Naraku's plans, even if she didn't know the plans themselves. Something was up…

She flew away from the palace, out to the borders of the barrier, while keeping high up, out of sight. Finally, she was able to sense the aura of the "guests" – an overwhelming amount of youki – around the edges of the barrier. A group of demons; strong ones. And among them, a single energy shone brighter than the others and slightly more familiar as well. Then again, the source was also easy to spot, as very few demons dressed explicitly in white.

It was probably the moment she was least pleased to see Youko Kurama in person.

While some of his men were examining the barrier they felt, just in case, Youko was attempting to imagine the interior of the castle ahead of them and anticipate where Naraku himself might be hiding. There was such a leak of his youki around them that even he didn't notice Kagura, who, after all, shared the same smell and youki, and who was well-hidden for the moment. But something wasn't quite right about all of this – considering the fact that Kanna had practically brought him her and the obvious leak of information in terms of location seemed too exact not to be an explicit invitation.

However, they had not encountered any kind of resistance as of yet, not even the weakest sentinels, which also fit into the invitation pattern somewhat. But it seemed that the barrier was being maintained nonetheless, either to give them a false sense of security or perhaps because it hadn't been expected that they would arrive so quickly. In any case, there was no time to speculate, only enough time not to discard necessary caution.

He watched one or two of his men repelled by the barrier; apparently, it hadn't yet lost all of its strength. But it was fading slowly, an event noticeable only to those that watched carefully. It was then that Youko remembered something the priestess had said, about Naraku being created out of dozens of demons and a human base. Perhaps that also meant that the logic that hanyou lost their powers once a month applied to this creature as well.

"I'll try it myself." Several demons made way for their leader as he approached the barrier. "If I get through and no one else, secure the perimeter and wait until I break it from within. Then don't waste time with lookouts and close in around the mansion. You know what to do then."

Kuronue, who was nearby as always to listen to whatever commands were to be given, nodded, understanding that temporary leadership or at least primary executive power was being handed to him for the moment. There was no point in asking foolishness, like whether Youko was sure he could handle it or not – there was no such thing as unnecessary concern among demons. And the kitsune hadn't even hinted at any kind of complications, thus it was going to be relatively simple.

"We'll try to break this thing on our own and back you up when possible." He, too, hadn't been able to get past the barrier, though he hadn't been repelled as violently as the others by its forceful power.

All they exchanged was a brief glance, which was enough to say that both sides were to take care. Then, without a second thought, Youko placed a hand against the barrier – it passed through effortlessly. Then, instead of dashing toward the energetic wall, he passed through it slowly, without any obvious difficulties. The other demons watched with some awe, some understanding that this served to demonstrate the difference between their and the fox demon's power level.

Inside, Youko continued towards the mansion without as much as a backwards glance, almost vanishing in a great silvery streak. Kuronue gave a small grin to himself and began organizing those left behind. He, too, sensed both Naraku's youki and, almost like a hollowed spot in the middle, a stronger, more distinct impulse, an impulse of unnatural purity, which could be imagined as a white light shining through the night.

One thing was certain – this would be interesting. The theory that Youko's plants could hold even the priestess was a bold one, but there was a chance that it could work. The plant life of Makai was based on a similar principle as its sentient residents, but its energy was slightly different, thus its purification might not be possible. It was worth a try. And if that didn't work, perhaps they could somehow knock the woman unconscious and then take her captive. Of course, the real problem wasn't capturing her; it was actually _keeping _her.

From above, Kagura observed the situation with slight hesitation. So, the barrier still held… that simplified things significantly for her – she wouldn't waste time with the rabble that had been left behind; they were beneath her notice. But the kitsune had fulfilled her expectations by passing through, not that it helped her very much. It meant that she could risk trying to stop him once more – a pain erupted from the spots where the death plant had pierced her, reminding her of their last encounter – or act as if she was taking care of those left behind.

But there was no point in that and Naraku would likely scold and punish her for letting even one enemy slip past the barrier. No; it was best to follow him and watch what would happen. Not even Kagome could likely stand up too well against two opponents of such strength and a three-way fight to the death certainly wasn't in her best interest.

Back in the central courtyard, even Kagome, who wasn't paying attention, was forced to acknowledge the foreign but familiar youki cutting through the one surrounding her. This timing was unfortunate in any case. At best, she could hope for an ally in the impending struggle, at worst, she could dread gaining another adversary in a single battle. And it was more than certain that Naraku would not even give her the mocking snippets of information when the fox demon would arrive.

She had to hurry and do something, milk the situation for whatever she could while there was the time to do so. She had little ability at pretending emotions, but Naraku ignored her sudden alertness.

"Observe the true nature of humankind." he began, referring to the still-caged InuYasha, who remained dormant. "How easily they bend and break. Prone to negative emotion, disease and weakness."

"What's your point?" the priestess interjected sharply, her attention still unwaveringly focused on her initial inquiry.

"Therein lies the answer to your first question." the demon responded. "Kikyo was one of them, but worse than most."

"She was a miko." Kagome retorted, as if she believed that that alone was testimony of the deceased woman's goodness.

"One that lowered herself to the level of common filth. Her death was a mercy."

And then, Kagome voiced the thought that had been plaguing her for some time. "You love her." It wasn't a question, though the certainty of it wasn't clear.

If he possessed less self-control, Naraku would have laughed in her face or at least allowed himself the liberty of a chuckle. "After all that I have said, you believe that? If there was anything to be loved about her, it was only her end."

"Why are you answering me?" The kitsune was getting closer and closer – it was him, she could recognize the youki distinctly. "Because I look like her?"

"If your appearance was the only thing of consequence, we would hardly be speaking." Evasive words, empty, but not misleading from the truth.

Kagome refused to be dissuaded. "What do you want?" her question was blunt, straight to the point.

But Naraku only gave a smile that could be considered brilliant, shark-like and mocking at the same time. "I'd introduce you, but that would be redundant, Kagome-sama, Kurama-sama."

The priestess glanced at the spot to which Naraku's attention shifted, slightly surprised to see Youko already standing there, exactly as she remembered him from a month ago, tall, luminous and an icy look in his eyes.

The kitsune observed his quarry, taking only a small note of the priestess, whom he didn't even acknowledge by a glance.

"So, you are Naraku." he said, his voice almost enough to freeze the air around him, his expression unimpressed. Then, he noticed the cage and the human form of the hanyou within, giving it only a single glance. "And it seems you've finally obtained a proper leash for your pet."

Too cold, more so than Kagome had ever heard him speak. It was more than chilling. And there seemed to be no room in his plan for anything other than his plan, which was downright selfish.

"Kurama!" Kagome called out, but the fox demon ignored her as if she were part of the wall behind her.

"Rumours do not seem to do you enough justice, Kurama-sama. I was expecting you at least a few hours later." There was still that mocking, leering undertone in Naraku's voice, as if he wasn't really bothered or frightened.

Which was quite a feat, considering the glare Youko was giving him and the energy the fox demon was emitting subconsciously. "I happened to be in the neighbourhood when your slave reached me." His tone was calm, but with a distinct distaste for the hybrid demon he was facing.

Lowering his head, as if nodding to say he understood, Naraku acknowledged those words. "I should apologize for involving you in this, but you have come for vengeance and not for words, isn't that right?" The kitsune didn't answer, but there was no doubt the silence was meant as a confirmation of that. "You came to slay me because our plans were momentarily at cross-purposes. But I'm curious as to why you've come alone and personally for such a small thing."

"You, who are about to die, have no need to know." A flash of green and then white; and Naraku was behind them, having leapt out of the rose whip's path. Youko didn't give him even a second after landing and lashed again, striking only the bottom of the pelt. It did little good, but it was enough to tell Youko that this was not the proper technique for this battle.

Seeing that there was no way of stopping the impending battle, Kagome drew an arrow and prepared to do her job. She had, after all, come not only because of her own interest in Kikyo and the past, but because she had a mission to accomplish, one that involved saving InuYasha and destroying Naraku. She never got to shoot her arrow; snaking around her waist, ankles and wrists, strong vines appeared out of nowhere, lifting her from the ground and restraining her.

"H-hey! What's the big idea!" she yelled. But the vines were also subtly moving her away from the battle if not the battlefield itself.

Kagura watched that with surprise and fear. Kagome's powers of purification crackled and sizzled around the plants, but she couldn't break them completely or disintegrate them. The same vines that restrained her – or similar ones – were heading for Naraku as well, wines that were thick and thorny, similar to the customary whip Youko wielded, but more independent.

They closed in like a cage around Naraku. For a moment, Kagura, still the observer, believed that it was actually going to be as easy as that and work, but she was mistaken. Tentacles surfaced from underneath the baboon pelt…. Tentacles breaking the plants, assaulting the fox demon, who fended them off with ease, if not irritation.

Kagome watched all that with open frustration. If her hands were free now and her aim calm, she could have succeeded in her efforts to destroy Naraku. But her bow was on the ground three feet under her, useless, and she had no means of wielding it even if she could retrieve it.

With precision, each attack was blocked or evaded on both sides, Kagome continued to struggle faintly against her manacles and chains, but, like Kagura, she was also intent on watching the battle in front of her. Youko's speed bordered with teleportation and even the many tentacles of Naraku couldn't keep up with him. There was a momentary pause in the combat as several ends of tentacles that the kitsune had severed dropped to the ground and the two adversaries faced off.

Yet Naraku didn't seem at all distraught about the injuries he had sustained during the battle; quite the contrary. His smile was still in place, the smile Kagura had learned to loathe, even though he never used it on her. It was the smile of a person taking their pleasure from someone else's lack of knowledge, their impending demise.

"I see you're every inch as formidable as the stories claim." Naraku noted, as if satisfied by the worthiness of his opponent. Youko didn't react in expression or in movement. "Yet you are obviously a softer man than you would have others believe; you rushed to protect Kagome-sama when she was in danger of getting involved." He spared the struggling priestess a glance, unlike the kitsune, who remained almost detached from the situation.

He neither denied nor confirmed the taunt, but continued looking at Naraku like a person might look at something unpleasant they had stepped on. Filth. Inferior. A snake's tongue wasn't quite enough to harm him or reach him.

"You talk too much, hanyou." he said frostily, the last word sounding like an insult.

For a moment, Naraku's smile faltered, and Youko understood. This filth intended to use the Shikon no Tama for the trivial and unimportant purpose of transforming himself into a full demon, something he couldn't do because of the human anchor that united all of his components.

The kitsune didn't wait for any kind of response. The white streak flashed towards Naraku; but he had anticipated the move and, in a surprising form of defense, entwined his tentacle around the vines binding Kagome. Yanking the priestess forward, he used her as a shield. It was too late for Youko to stop mid-attack. The best he could do was steer the whip in mid-air, so that it didn't strike flesh, but made impact with the binding vines and cracked them open.

The impact would have normally cracked her bones open, but instead, a long and unpleasant-looking gash appeared along the priestess's arm and she let out a low, muffed cry. Youko quickly pushed her out of the way before continuing the attack. Kagome almost tripped into the wall; her haori was now turning faintly red to deep crimson in one place, the fabric sticking to her skin uncomfortably, the stinging pain never stopping. But at least now she was free – a mistake on Naraku's part.

Youko cut off more tentacles that attempted to grab him, but it seemed that his opponent possessed some regenerative ability. He still kept coming, no matter how many limbs he was missing. It was almost as if… for a moment, the kitsune hesitated and avoided another attack with less ease. There was the possibility that now, among all this youki, Naraku would be counting on the fact that he wouldn't be able to sense his presence with accuracy and thus take a more risky gamble…

"Naraku!" Kagome's voice broke his train of thought. The priestess was kneeling some meters away, her hand shaking slightly, blood dripping from her sleeve, but still she was holding her bow in a firm grip. She fired as soon as her battle cry was over and Youko jumped away in time to see his theory confirmed.

The sacred arrow hit Naraku straight in the chest, without any effect at all. Kagome appeared stunned, but the kitsune seized the moment when his enemy was looking the other way and aimed straight for the two weakest points of such magic – the heart and the head, in that order. As soon as the sharp vine pierced the creature's heart, it was clear to Youko that what they had been fighting wasn't Naraku at all, but rather, a clever trick of demon magic when one was weakened.

_Kugutsu._ he thought to himself, watching the illusion being destroyed. The real Naraku was likely hiding within the mansion.

That attack caused the doll to finally snap, thus destroying the artificial body controlled by the being who resided in the palace. Kagome, panting slightly, lowered her bow. That had gone slightly differently than she might have hoped, but she would have to settle for the second alternative – that she wouldn't be able to find out much more about Kikyo and InuYasha – and be content with having completed her mission. Still, Youko really could have waited two more minutes before busting in! Timing was essential in such things…

The kitsune wasn't at all bothered by Kagome's feelings – he was ignoring her, for the most part, entirely focused on his goal in coming there. Naraku's youki, weakening strangely, was present in the mansion and the filthy stench he had learned to hate was coming from a particular spot. It was all a matter of entering and eradicating the foul creature. He didn't really care if the priestess would come with him – he preferred to work solo in such cases anyway – but he was not about to back down or face meaningless conversation.

Kagura, who finally made it back, watched the situation with some concern. Obviously, from the way things were going, those two were not allies. Which was a shame, really, because she would be forced to aid the side that was more beneficial to her. And, hands down, getting rid of Naraku was of more value than the visual delight the fox demon presented, though it was a close match. She knew that she wasn't really up to the task of destroying him, but a severe wound would suffice to stop him from harming the priestess.

As long as she was not free, no one could destroy the woman.

With that much youki around them, with her being airborne, she had the advantage of surprise, which she intended to utilize completely. She would have only one shot at this, so she couldn't afford to mess up – it was likely that only the first blow would make impact. Adding all her power to the blow, she swung her fan and aimed the best she could.

Only Kagome sensed the presence, being relatively used to it by now, but couldn't shout at Kagura in time to stop her. The wind blade rose from the fan, like it had before, and the white flash was moving closer with each passing second. She didn't have the reflexes or the physical strength of a demon and acted on impulse. Perhaps, under rational observation later on, she would understand that her decision to halt the progress of the wind blade with her own power would have been a good one, had she calculated the distance and the power level she needed to achieve properly.

She counted with Kagura using the usual strength of her attack on this attempt at whatever help it should have been. But the blade was quicker and more powerful than it usually would have been. Because of that, it flew through the air at rapid speed. It was within the area covered by the barrier before the barrier itself was created, thus wasn't at all blocked by the shielding power. It struck Kagome's torso, creating a seemingly deep gash along the clothing and skin.

Youko, who had been focused entirely on the task of destroying Naraku, noticed a split-second too late – the barrier didn't allow him to get to the priestess and knock her out of the blade's way, but at least he caught her falling form when the barrier flickered and died. The wound was deep; blood dripped on the ground. In her current limp state, Kagome didn't really notice that despite being a demon, the kitsune managed to catch her without problems, jewel or not.

With half-closed eyes, Kagome acknowledged her success through the pain.

"You're all… right…"

Looking back, perhaps she should have only created the barrier around him and not put herself in front of him and creating it around herself.

"I'm… glad…"

Blackness…

She lost consciousness just as Kagura landed on the ground meters away. Something had clearly gone wrong if Kagome had thrown herself into harm's way like that. Youko spared the wind witch a glance, but then gathered from her rather distraught expression that she wasn't there to defend her master. Rather, she seemed to be… looking at the unconscious priestess with shock and horror.

Did this mean that they were cooperating? That an underling of Naraku had chosen to defy her master and sell him out?

Something hung in the air; a chill wind that Kagura didn't control. The air began to numb the preciseness of their eyesight. The palace around them slowly began to fade… disappear with the wind, as if it was being blown away. When Kagura saw it, she panicked a bit more – she had seen this before, not many a time, but enough to understand that with this happening and Kagome unconscious, there was nothing they could do. Her greatest fear was that Naraku might actually realize her intentions, no matter where he was, and cut off her life-force with a singe blow to her heart. But no such thing happened just yet.

Youko wasted no time on what ifs himself. One glance at Kagome's wound showed that she would survive, if she received treatment as soon as possible. But with a burden weighing him down – because he didn't want to forsake the priestess just yet, if only because she would be useful for eradicating Naraku – and the little time they had when the demon was clearly escaping through some means, he had to switch strategies.

"You!" Kagura looked back at the fox demon, startled, as if expecting an attack – a cornered animal. "If you want to get rid of your master and survive long enough, come back here in two weeks, same time, and bring news of the palace s location if you know what's good for you!"

The wind witch's eyes narrowed, but she still seemed wary of Youko. But a speck of hope appeared in her thoughts – it seemed that the fox demon was also no ally of Naraku and having both him and the priestess working for her cause would be as close to full proof as possible. Nevertheless, this man was more cunning than Kagome and Kagura didn't fancy getting conned. "What're you going to do with her?" she asked, both suspicious and concerned, nodding at Kagome's limp form.

It seemed that the explicit purity of the jewel was somewhat subdued when the priestess lost consciousness, which certainly was information worth having, Youko noticed, but brushed the matter aside. As for what he intended to do, it was healing the wounds both of them had unintentionally inflicted.

"She is of no use to me dead." he said laconically. Kagura understood the meaning, but not the reason, at least, not completely. But she didn't ask about the details – she didn't need them now – as long as Kagome would be battle-ready by their next encounter, there was no need to worry.

But that presented a slight dilemma for Youko. After all, the primary reason he had given his men for coming here was Kagome's capture. Vengeance against Naraku was his personal business, something from which the group as a whole would profit only morally, but not monetarily. If he presented them with Kagome in this state, it would present problems. Right now, he needed her alive and ready to fend for herself, which meant that he would have to treat her wounds himself to ensure that they would be healed in time. of course, by bringing her to their settlement, that possibility would disappear.

There was only one possible alternative he could use. He remembered that Kagura was capable of taking flight.

"Take her to the edge of that forest." Youko ordered, motioning to the other end of the forest, furthest from where his men were. "Your youki should cancel out her reiki right now. But unless you want to die, hide her well. I will come within the hour. Wait for me there."

Kagura would have snorted, as she was incapable of dying by anyone's hand other than that of Naraku, but her concern for her own plans overrode that impulse. It was a sound plan. But… "Does she have an hour?" she asked anxiously.

That was a sound question. Youko tore off the sleeve of Kagome's bloodied arm and hastily bandaged the bleeding wound. There was no helping that on her midsection that way and time was short. His men were advancing towards their location without a doubt.

He handed Kagura a few seeds from his tunic. "Put these in the wound." They wouldn't be able to bloom, but their presence should be enough to halt the bleeding long enough until he could heal the cut. "Don't waste them. Now go."

The witch, supporting Kagome's weigh now, nodded briskly and took off into the night sky, a speck of white in the darkness, vanishing beyond the horizon.


	18. Delirium

Woo-hoo, a chapter… or two? No, just one, but we're far from done. He he, I'm in a good mood, so here you have a pair of rhymes instead of an introduction.

Status report: I'm still watching the Bleach anime – the Bount arc was a total rip-off of the YYH Chapter Black saga in some parts, especially the beginning, but that's what you'd expect from filler. Oh, well. I've almost finished redecorating my room with my newest Slayers artwork, and then I might do some more YYH stuff. Anyways, school is as busy as ever, especially with me starting 2 new languages – Italian, which is obligatory and Japanese, which is my personal hobby.

On the plus side, I'm making progress with learning hiragana, which isn't as easy as it seems. Honestly, two alphabets and then all the individual kanji?

Methinks I'm in for a long self-study.

X X X

**Delirium**

X X X X X

"Love consists in this, that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other."

- Rainer Maria Rilke

X X X X X

If there was one thing Kagura really hated, it was being kept in the dark.

No, scratch that. What she really hated was being excluded from the whole thing that was going on. Losing control, in a way. Because it had been, from the beginning, her plan.

During the one year of her existence, a short time for anyone to get to know the world, she had gathered more knowledge than most creatures could manage to throughout their whole lifetime. She had been created as she was now, grown in body, sarcastic in speech and brash in mind. But she was also a sensible person and, before anything, a female. Thus her trouble sensor was on non-stop and she could tell immediately that something was going on.

The first thing she noticed after landing where Youko had told her to was that when she added the seeds to the wound on Kagome's torso, the blood began to congeal and the general bleeding seemed to stop. She wasn't an expert on healthcare, but it seemed that the priestess was out of the way of life-threatening danger. Still, the wound would likely leave a scar.

The second thing was that she was able to be near the priestess without suffering from some of the sickening feeling of purity around her… and the pinkish glow of the jewel was gone. For a moment, the wind witch panicked. That scum… if he had intended to just nick the jewel and dump the priestess on her, she was going to make him pay, even if it took her forever!

But the presence of the jewel was nearby still and her panicky anger subdued slightly. After a moment of thinking what the fox demon might be planning to do with the damned rock, she understood. Her expression was slightly rueful, a bit respectful, but completely wary as well. Perhaps it was only then that she realized just how dangerous an enemy Youko could be… and how valuable an ally.

He had entered the barrier alone simply because the others could not. Without a doubt, he was the strongest by far among them, which allowed his youki to break the barrier for him alone. And now that his men were gathering around their leader again, he had to deal with them before turning his attention to the minor details like, oh, say, saving the priestess from bleeding to death. But perhaps he already had; it was nothing a short of a miracle, those seeds; as if time had decided to skip a few of the healing stages to make sure the priestess would survive.

Kagura knew now what he was doing. If the men had arrived to find their leader along with an incarnation of Naraku and the unconscious Shikon no miko, they would have hardly stopped to think about possible complications. They would have assumed, in their simple-mindedness, that she, Kagura, was the source of the youki – pathetic, she thought to herself – and then, they would have attempted to somehow seize the sacred jewel.

What the kitsune was trying to do was simple. It was an illusion.

_He's a clever bastard, that one. _she thought privately, keeping an eye on Kagome. _Almost like Naraku._

Naraku… her hand curled into a fist on its own accord. With luck, soon, it would be over. Soon, it would be over… her enslavement. And then, she would do… there were so many things she wanted to do, but right now, she didn't see beyond the moment of Naraku´s destruction. There would be all the time in the world to think about the future after his death. But now, now….

The priestess stirred slightly. And, a moment later, she felt a somewhat familiar youki approach them at a steady pace.

Youko almost shone in the darkness of the night, but he had approached with such stealth that Kagura hadn't been able to sense him before he allowed her to do so, before he was close. The only thing that had changed slightly was that he was holding the Shikon no Tama by the edge of the necklace, careful not to touch the gem itself, which had darkened slightly over the short period of time it had left the priestess's possession.

But still, it was remarkable that he had managed to both take it from the priestess without Kagura noticing while maintaining a composed exterior. He must have felt thoroughly sick upon seizing the jewel, pure as it was. It was like holding the essence of the priestess, only it was a hundred times worse, courtesy of the jewel's power.

"Bout time you showed up!" the wind witch snapped, disguising her awe. Sure, he was a cute one, but the guy was a cutthroat to the very marrow of his bones. She had to be careful. "I don't know how long these seeds are gonna hold the bleeding." But still, her eyes remained focused on the jewel, and she couldn't suppress her question. "When did you take that?"

Kagura noticed that until then, he had been examining the priestess and her wounds with an almost critical eye. But he had never even looked at the wind witch, as if she were nothing more than an annoying bug buzzing into the night. No, not even that; it was as if she wasn't even there. It caught her attention to some degree. She wasn't one to be ignored, so it angered her somewhat, but she was also baffled by the gesture. It wasn't as if the priestess was conscious; it wasn't as if the kitsune was showing concern for her well-being. Yet the fact remained that it seemed that for those few seconds, the rest of the world didn't exist for him.

Then, his eyes shifted to her, analytical, plotting, planning… "Obviously, you haven't wondered why you weren't incinerated the moment you took her." he commented dryly, but unlike Naraku perhaps would speak, there was no superiority in the statement. He was answering her question; it was that simple.

Kagura frowned. "How can you even touch that thing?"

But he wasn't touching it; that was the point. Still, it was an overwhelming power, even though it was meters away from her. She understood fully why he had taken it – in order to send his men away, he had to show them the prize. In order to send them away, he had to appease them by showing them that their mission had been successful, but that he and only he could handle the dangerous treasure… or some such excuse.

"There are ways." Youko said and, for the first time, it seemed that he was enjoying the chance to be mischievously mysterious, as was natural to all kitsune. "My men haven't spotted you. That is fortunate for us, but avoid the path they took when you leave. They are ordered to destroy anyone carrying the smell of Naraku. Should they see you, I guarantee you nothing."

"Got it, got it." the witch said with a curt nod, then glanced at Kagome. "So you're gonna heal her, right? She can't die on me now."

"My sentiments exactly." And, without as much as another word, the kitsune returned the shining jewel back its original place around the priestess's neck. Then, he scooped up the unconscious reigen, like one would carry a sleeping child. It was obvious that he intended to depart immediately. And Kagura understood that she wasn't invited to join them. Pity. "Remember, two weeks. If you don't come, I will show you no mercy, should our paths cross again."

The ghost of a pout, then a sneer. "Oh, don't worry, fox boy." Youko was beginning to severely dislike her chosen nickname for him. "I wouldn't miss our rendezvous for the world." A flick of her wrist, a white feather in the air. And then… "Later!" She was gone.

Youko watched her disappear only for a moment. They had lingered in the same place for far too long and it was highly likely that even low-level demons would soon sense the presence of the jewel. His youki was likely to at least mask it somewhat, but the purity was easy to trace nonetheless. They had to move and move right away; he had managed to order his men to return to their posts and finish the plunder of the previous mansion – Kanna had vanished completely – and bring the loot back to their hideout.

He had told them the relative truth. The Shikon no Tama was too dangerous to keep in their village, as it was easy to trace and very visible to any kind of demon. Thus, it would be most secure at the one place only a limited number of people had access to – the safe.

It was somewhat of a legend among the younger members of the horde, the safe where all the most valuable treasures were kept. Most of them were ancient artefacts, thus, his share of the spoils of battle. But that was only the most secure part of the hidden treasure-storage rooms. A major portion of their gold and valuables was stored there, in one place, protected day and night by guardians that never slept nor hesitated. Plants that were close to sentient beings in thinking, completely obedient to Youko and not in the least incompetent in keeping the daring intruder out.

However, on the outside, it looked like nothing too remarkable – the high-level protection it had allowed it to blend with the landscape so completely that not even the residents of the area knew that it was there.

It was somewhat of a journey from here to that place, but knowing what was at stake, the kitsune moved at a remarkable pace even for his standards.

The limp body of the priestess was surprisingly weightless, as if the slightest wind could blow her away, so Youko gripped her rather firmly while avoiding direct contact with the deep, bleeding wound. He barely noticed that the jewel still didn't repel him as it usually would have, as if it knew his intentions better than he himself did. The priestess herself made no sound, but the initial rigidness of her body was vanishing slowly. Clearly, she wasn't dead, not yet.

In a different situation – one in which she was conscious – Youko might have teased her a bit about how more receptive she was when injured, but right now, he had no patience for humour or amusement. The wound had still not closed, not even after the insertion of the seeds. The only thing that the kitsune took the time to ponder was that he was really going through all this trouble for the sake of someone to whom he held no allegiance.

She was useful, true, but throwing herself in front of him in an attempt to halt the wind blade had been both utterly absurd and… in a strange way, it had moved something within him. No one had ever done such a thing for him, especially when there was no need for it, such an illogical and even stupid thing. But it was not something that could be considered high-and-mighty and foolish as all those quasi-noble deeds were. This had been a natural impulse, the kitsune had recognized it… the impulse to protect kin.

For a reigen to do such a thing for a demon… it was inconceivable, unimaginable.

It also enforced some form of an honour-bond on him, making him go through the trouble of saving her life once again. Her death was unacceptable, at the moment and perhaps even ever. She held some significance in the ongoing battles and, her powers and abilities aside, perhaps he would miss her obnoxious childishness and irrational heroics if she were to die. Classifying her significance to him was impossible with words, but it was an equally surreal idea to try and deny that she meant something to him in her own way.

He had viewed reigen with a somewhat superior eye up till that moment. One of them had risen higher in his eyes than he had ever imagined any of them could. And she hadn't even done anything of real significance. It was simply… no, not simply. Her doings had reached him, somehow, making an imprint in his being. He didn't want her to die anymore.

A sound from Kagome indicated that she was still among the living, which was a good thing, as he wasn't certain how long it would have taken Reikai to provide her with a new body. In that matter, he realized that she herself probably wasn't that concerned with physical death – after all, she was a spirit, in essence. Returning to Reikai would have been no more than returning home more swiftly to her.

In her delirium, the priestess turned her head; by chance, that meant she brought her half-parted lips to his skin, an unintentional gesture he noticed a bit more intently than he usually would have. It was perhaps a slightly unguarded decision to choose the particular hideout he had chosen to bring her two, but it was the safest alternative. It was closest to their location, hidden best of all the possible lairs and secured better than many a fortress.

Out of all the people who knew of its existence, only a select few were allowed to know its location. And out of them, in turn, only a few were allowed access into it. Out of all his hideouts, this was the only one that was mostly underground, though its interior hardly resembled that of a cave. In order to get to the inner sanctum, one had to pass a vast garden of the deadliest Makai plants. Only he called it a garden; from an outsider's point of view, it would resemble a deep jungle filled with carnivorous plants.

And just as well, as beyond lay the most valuable of his treasures, most of them ancient artefacts of immense power and worth or simply great beauty and personal value. Aside from immense treasure, the caves and caverns leading to the safe contained everything needed not only for survival, but for comfort as well. Many palaces were not as well-furnished or as well-equipped as these caves, where one could find weapons, medical supplies and, most importantly, refuge.

The kitsune had no intention of showing Kagome where exactly in Makai this place was located. Needless to say, she would be unconscious when leaving this place, just as she was now. But at the moment, his priority was her recovery. There were many living chambers within the tunnels, but he brought the priestess to the one closest to the medical supplies. His usual plants, while sufficient to halt the bleeding, wouldn't have completely healed her injuries. Here, he had everything he needed to start working efficiently.

Most importantly, there was no one around to frown upon or question his actions. Not that it mattered to him much, but he knew it could prove a hindrance later on.

There was a different problem he had to deal with at the moment, which didn't involve the healing or any possible reactions from others it might involve. He first observed the priestess for any signs of consciousness before proceeding to remove her haori. The cut was a more than justified reason to undress her, but knowing Kagome, she would likely freak out (which was putting it mildly) and attempt to protect her modesty in some violent way that would only result in inflicting damage on herself.

The most he could do was remove only the haori; unfortunately, she would likely find out that he had done so and eventually scream her head off, possibly damaging his delicate hearing. Of course, he remembered with the slightest flicker of amusement, her slight attachment to his ears – a thing he had noticed some time previously – might stop her from doing so. Might. With Kagome, there was no telling.

With surprising care, he unfastened the knot holding the hakama in place and pulled out the haori. To his partial relief and slight disappointment, Reikai apparently possessed a relatively modern wardrobe by then, as there was another white garment binding the priestess's chest, one that had avoided getting bloodstained and only partially revealed the pale flesh beneath it.

A few inches higher, the sacred jewel shone faintly, an otherworldly light. And below, just at her midsection, the wide and deep wound created by the wind blade remained, as if sketched out in dried blood. It wasn't a wound that would be fatal, but if the bodies of reigen reacted in a similar way as those of demons or humans, perhaps it would leave a scar. In any case, it would take a few days for the lost blood to replenish and for the priestess to even be able to hold her weapon, let alone use it. But the two weeks he had given Kagura would suffice for complete recovery.

Healing was a skill he had mastered before fighting, though the two were closely linked, in his opinion. The fact that many fighters didn't realize that was their loss, possibly the loss of their lives as well. He managed to stop the bleeding completely and close the wound through his abilities alone. Then, he allowed the priestess some rest while he left to tend to the resident plant life. He didn't visit this place very often, but it was useful to check up on the state of things nonetheless, once Kagome was out of danger.

Besides, he had the vague feeling that she wouldn't really appreciate being undressed and redressed by him, even if her current attire was still bloodied and slightly torn. For some reason, he felt a momentary hatred for the priestess. He was unusually frustrated by his own inability to classify what position the priestess held in his mind. But even so, it was an unusual reaction to something that he couldn't figure out. Usually, he felt eager rather than frustrated when a puzzle was presented to him. This time, the puzzle was living and breathing, though that wasn't the reason for such oddities. Figuring his own response to the source was what he had to do first.

And he had ample time to do so; Kagome remained asleep for several hours. When she woke, she thought only of not ever wanting to part with the warm covers of her bed.

Wait… bed?

Her eyes attempted to snap open, but they were still sleepy and thus opened at a natural pace. She observed part of the room she saw, furnished like a king's without ever appearing to be so but it had the strange feeling of being slightly too dark. It was windowless, which signified that it was either underground or very well hidden.

She also realized that part of the covers was brushing against her bare skin. In a rush of maidenly panic, she threw them off to see that she was missing her haori, though her undergarments were mercifully still in place. In addition, someone had carefully treated and bandaged her wounds, thus any kind of pain she felt was minor to none. Her power flaring up, she detected the source of one strong youki nearby, one she recognized immediately.

Kagome jumped to her feet and made a move for the door to have a word with the kitsune regarding her state of undress, be his intentions for good or ill, but she scrambled back to her bed quickly upon realizing that she didn't really want to give Youko another splendid view of her partially-covered chest. Her face as red as her hakama, the priestess almost tripped on the pile of neatly folded clothing that had apparently been prepared for her.

The freedom to choose was somewhat flattering and Kagome found that most of the clothing fitted her rather well. Finding suitable shoes was a bit of a problem, but her sandals were still in place, which was a relief on that account. When fully dressed, thought her clothes resembled something in-between Sango's battle armour and a traditional fighter's tunic. All-in-all, she couldn't have asked for much more than that.

To her credit, she got lost only once when searching the caverns for the fox demon and the passageways were rather cleverly built. The place she entered made her doubt whether or not she had actually been right in judging the location of this place. Each and every species of Makai plants surrounded her, some of which she had never seen before. The colourful plant life showed no intention of attacking her yet, but there was an aura of distrust in the air, rather as if the plants didn't know what to really think of her, the obvious intruder.

A few seconds later, the familiar form of her obvious rescuer appeared among the plants, looking unnaturally pristine, especially in the current environment. His expression was grave before resting on her, then his eyes flickered with the slightest touch of relief. It made him appear slightly less otherworldly, as if a glass wall separating them had been shattered and removed. That changed nothing on the fact that she began to understand what Kagura had meant by distraction, though she preferred to label it as a weapon of mass destruction of female brain cells. And – damn the ears! – it was effective.

"You shouldn't be up yet." the fox demon said, slightly reproachfully, as he critically observed her. "You lost a lot of blood."

"I wake up in a strange cave and sense only your presence. You can't expect me to just sit around, especially as you removed my haori." Unsurprisingly, the first thing on her mind wasn't the strange location or possible enemies; it was her modesty.

"For the purpose of healing you." But there was the slightest smirk playing around the corners of his lips, seeing that she was almost about to take the bait.

"Yes… I know… but you really didn't have to do that." It was unclear which of the two she actually meant – the healing or the undressing. Possibly both. It was also unclear which caused her frown to deepen. "Somehow you ended up protecting me again. Why?"

And then, despite his own rather dark and contemplative mood, the kitsune decided not to pass this opportunity to pester Kagome slightly. Watching her ridiculous and often unnecessary outbursts of anger managed to be entertaining despite the many times had had seen them before. Perhaps it was their illogical nature or their almost endearing sincere blindness.

"Perhaps you cannot protect yourself."

But Kagome had also come to be somewhat used to the continuing baiting and didn't explode as easily as before. "Same to you; I didn't see you attempting to dodge the blades." But her attempt at pointed irony was ruined by the slight concern that had crept into her voice.

Youko didn't notice it, and if he did, he didn't think about it too much. With each word, it was becoming clear that he had been right in his guesswork; Kagome had reacted thusly because she believed someone who was not her enemy to be in danger. Ridiculous, from one point of view, admirable, perhaps, from another.

"The attack wouldn't have hurt me much. You, on the other hand, could have been killed."

"Been there, done that. Now answer me." The eyebrow framing the right almond-shaped eye with a golden iris rose with elegance. A black eyebrow twitched. "Please." Annoyance. He was toying with her again. Twitch.

And then, she was awarded with a charming smile that would have perhaps made even Ayame the Reikai investigator melt on the spot.

"Ah, the magic word." The fox demon took a few steps towards her, completely and utterly at ease with the carnivorous surroundings that evidently gave off a "come closer so we can have dinner" aura, though that was likely only natural. But then, he seemed too close, though he made no move to even touch her. He gestured for them to take a walk; the priestess had no choice but to obey. "I have nothing to gain from killing you, Kagome."

How exotic and remarkable her name sounded, coming from him. "But you don't have anything to gain from keeping me alive, either." she remarked. Not that she wanted to get killed by him, but she didn't really understand. "You went out of your way to help me."

"Yes." the kitsune admitted. Kagome was surprised at how blasé he was being about it. "I have re-evaluated a few things. Perhaps the temporary alliance you suggested some time ago might be to my advantage after all."

The priestess remembered the moment she had suggested that. Back then, she had been wounded as she was now, but not as severely, and she had been thinking more of her own convenience than what could be useful to Youko. But she imagined that now, after Naraku's escape, Youko had to be silently furious. He had failed to kill the hanyou and have his revenge, after all. And Kagome was certain that he was not one to fail too often.

She decided to change the topic, though she was silently glad for his words. "So… where are we?"

"The closest place to paradise you will ever see." Youko's eyes swept the nearest plants with distinct fondness. It was surprisingly reassuring to see that while they were weapons to him, he didn't threat them completely like one would treat an object. They were somewhat of a personification of their wielder as well; in full bloom of their beauty, but more deadly than one might imagine. "This is my home."

Kagome was surprised. He had chosen to bring her to such a place? But there were none of his men around, no demons, no thieves… they were alone in the underground labyrinth.

"You live here?" she asked with awe.

For the second time, she received a smile, this time, from the "mischievous grin" variety. "You don't understand subtle distinctions, miko-sama." Perhaps it was mocking, perhaps it was teasing, but the title certainly wasn't meant seriously. "This is not a place for one to live, though it is outfitted for that purpose as well."

"Then what is it?" Kagome pressed on, irritated but resolved to get an answer.

"This is a vault."

For a second, Kagome stopped walking. "A vault?"

"Among other things." Perhaps he wouldn't be telling her all this, Youko contemplated, but it was so much fun to watch her react to new information. "This is the safest place in all of Makai."

Was this a sign of trust? Kagome couldn't be certain, but some part of her was hopeful on that account. "I see… but why did you bring me here?"

"To heal you, as I said."

"I mean, you could have healed me anywhere. Why here, of all places. I can't feel the traces of Naraku's leftover youki. This is far from where we were."

Perhaps she had been hoping for any kind of hesitation on the kitsune's part, but there was none. There was a perfectly logical answer for her question.

"My men would not be able to understand my reason for keeping you alive. They do not think that far ahead. They would have killed you in your sleep for the sake of glory and hypothetical power. And then they would have been killed themselves in the attempt to seize the jewel." Youko explained. What Kagome noticed best of all was that his ears flicked a bit as he gave a slight sigh. "I have no desire for death among my subordinates or… allies." The corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

It wasn't that he was mocking her; it was that he rarely used the word. Allies were to be considered equals. His men, while valuable and capable, were far from his equals. Some might strive to become them, some might become equivalents to his current power eventually. Yet by then, he will have surpassed those limits long ago and moved on.

He hardly considered many people his equals in terms of raw power. He considered none equals in terms of a general overview.

But he considered Kagome important enough to overlook his possible egotism.

Of course, the priestess interpreted it slightly differently and quickly became defensive. "Hey, do you think I _wanted_ this? If I had the choice, I certainly wouldn't pick to be allied with someone who gets on my nerves in five-minute intervals. Regularly, I might add."

"Only five-minute intervals? I must be losing my touch, then." They were passing particularly lavish blossoms, but his laugh was more beautiful than any of them. "My deepest apologies, I will endeavour to correct that mistake in the future."

But though it was teasing, Kagome was stunned. In comparison to the dark and dangerous demon that had faced Naraku with a face cooler than a statue sculpted from ice, the almost candid, almost warm, but completely mischievous – her mind always returned to that word when searching for a way to describe him – kitsune that was gently and subtly pushing her buttons was a complete reversal. Which was the real personality of the fox demon?

Perhaps both, she mused, and remained too lost in thought to notice that they had actually left the gardens and entered the caves and caverns again. Youko led her to a particular room that was spectacularly furnished, more so than the palace in Reikai, perhaps. Kagome could only stare at how tastefully it was decorated, a tapestry here, a statuette there, nothing overdone. It felt more like a mansion than a dark cave.

"This will be your room while we remain here." the kitsune explained, openly amused at how she stared at him as if he had sprouted another head. "You cannot effectively fight before you have recovered and you need another day or two until that happens."

"And what do we do then?" Kagome asked, still dazed. This was a surprise.

"I have ordered the wind witch to meet us in two weeks at the spot where Naraku's castle used to stand. With luck, she will keep her promise and bring us useful information." But that was still somewhat in the future. Two weeks… "After your wounds close, we will return to my main settlement. I cannot have my men wondering where I am and leaving you here wouldn't result in anything pleasant." Either the plants would eat her or she would unintentionally lead unwanted visitors there. Neither outcome was desirable. "Until then, feel free to make yourself at home here."

Closing her mouth, Kagome nodded. She momentarily forgot the seriousness of the situation. What she realized was…

"Thank you… Kurama." she said. It was the first time she had used his name without yelling or being sarcastic. After all, they had agreed long ago – somewhat grudgingly on her part – that if they were to be equals, honourifics were not to be used. "I-I haven't properly thanked you for all you've done for me. So… thank you."

For the briefest instant, the calm façade vanished and all that was left was pleasant surprise, but surprise nonetheless. And then, for the first time, golden eyes softened and as he spoke the simple words, Youko appeared utterly gentle, the embodiment of kindness, the exact opposite of what he was.

And in that moment, Kagome saw beyond her own limits and understood that there was yet hope for both of them.

"You're welcome."


	19. Storm centre

Next chapter! Yay! People that have been waiting for any hints of romance like sharks for blood, this chapter is for you! Obviously, it isn't full-scale lovey-dovey stuff or smut like you might read in some of the worse fics circulating the net, but it certainly is more KagomeYouko-ish than before. This chapter is solely devised to move that part of the story a bit forward and you can expect the two weeks Youko has given Kagura to be interesting as well.

Comments and corrections are welcome!

Status report: Well, I'm learning hiragana relatively well, but I dropped the idea of learning kanji after learning a few facts.

Fact 1: unless you want to read Japanese newspapers or books, knowing how to write Japanese is unnecessary. Fact 2: it is theoretically possible and plausible to write the entire language in hiragana/katakana. Fact 3: I really don't have enough time to intensively learn over ten thousand individual signs, nor do I have a reason to, as I don't plan to actively study Japanese writing.

So there!

In the meantime, I'm forced to devote almost all my time to college, which isn't as easy as people might believe. Fortunately, I still have the weekends, though my private activities of interest are also taking up much of my time. Yes, it's the Path of Career for me… but Fate, you could really try to send some cute guys my way while you're at it...please?

On with the story!

Note: No fish were harmed in the process of writing this chapter.

X X X

**Storm centre**

X X X X X

"Women have wonderful instincts about things. They can discover everything except the obvious."

- Oscar Wilde

X X X X X

Of course, such peace was not meant to last longer than an hour.

After examining almost every object within the room that had been given to her, Kagome realized that she had forgotten one crucial detail. That being that while she had the jewel with her still, she was missing one other crucial item. Her communicator.

Somehow, it caused her to jump up almost as if the jewel itself had been taken from her. Youko had vanished somewhere the moment it had been clear that she approved of her accommodation and he was the only one who could have taken it. It was her second trip through the tunnels, but by no means the easier one, because she couldn't for the life of her remember which way they had come from. Her sense of direction was usually pretty good, but these tunnels seemed almost identical. It was possible that knowing ones way through them was another requirement to be able to pass to whatever treasure room might be behind them.

That diverted her attention from her search for the slightest moment. Youko had mentioned that this was the so-called vault of the whole band of brigands, likely containing centuries worth of treasure. But the rooms she passed through, while richly furnished, showed no signs of being storage rooms for ancient treasures and artefacts; and that was what Kagome assumed was contained somewhere nearby. Pure money was likely of little sentimental value for someone such as the fox demon – it could be obtained and spent anytime.

A different person might have based a strategy on obtaining such things. Kagome didn't; she was simply curious. Of course, the fact that she had walked by the same room thrice in a row wasn't helping her current situation.

"Looking for something?"

The priestess jumped slightly; she had been so lost in thought that she hadn't even noticed the aura of her "host" approach her and materialize a few feet to her left. Credit had to be given to his sneaking abilities as well, though.

Of course, it was somewhat irritating that he had chosen to wait fifteen minutes and thus allow her to get completely lost before showing up.

"Yes, but this place is a labyrinth." Kagome huffed with slight frustration. Then, she remembered her objective and changed her tone to mild anticipation. "I was hoping you could give me my communicator back. You literally crushed my last one, so you know what it looks like. You do have it, right?" she was a bit paranoid about it upon remembering how he had destroyed her last one.

Out of nowhere, the device materialized in the kitsune's hand, but Kagome reached out to take it in vain. "I have disabled it for the time being. You remember why I destroyed the other one, so you understand why I cannot give you this back before we part ways." Youko noted, referring to his deduction that it had been this device that had been used for tracking them last time.

While it was logic Kagome could understand, it didn't make her feel any better about the situation. "But how am I supposed to call Reikai?" she demanded, folding her arms in what she clearly believed to be an authoritative posture. "We have to be hundreds of miles from Kagewaki-san's estate this time! I need it to contact the Spirit Realm and get SDF agents to open up a portal for me!"

Unfortunately for her, Youko was hardly sympathetic to such poor reasoning. But instead of indulging himself in sneering irony, which would be highly appropriate, he decided to clarify this without descending to a matching level of childishness. The priestess wouldn't understand completely, but she had to at least come to terms with her current position.

"Listen carefully, for I will not repeat myself. I took a great risk by bringing you to this place. A reigen of your standing is the last kind of person that should be brought to my most well-secured dwelling, but it was the prudent choice at the time." Gor it being a prudent choice, his tone was certainly cold and business-like, without the usual playfulness, which alone placated Kagome well enough. "However, I will not tolerate any demands that endanger the security of this residence. You are quite the selfish little thing, aren't you?"

Kagome flushed somewhat, but not from anger. He was right. He had saved her life – well, not that it was of too much consequence – and hadn't taken the jewel (that counted as something of consequence) and he had gone out of his way to help her. Her current behaviour wasn't the best way of signifying gratitude, she concluded.

"I'm sorry." she said under her breath.

Psychological cages were relatively easy to create, especially when there was guilt involved. "That includes your communicator. No one aside from myself and a select few know this location. You shall be no exception to that rule."

That was a warning, Kagome realized. "I'm not sure I'm going to like what you meant by that." she said hesitantly. The fact that she could spot the hidden grin in the fox demon's eyes didn't lessen her feeling of being in the "prey" category at all. "When will I get it back, then?" She didn't really want to hear what he had to say about her comment, so she covered it up by changing the topic.

Unfortunately for her, Youko was in a somewhat cryptic mood, or so it appeared. "When the right time comes." he said simply, and that was the only answer he gave.

"At least give me a date!" Kagome couldn't help but prod; she refused to feel guilty on this account. It was a reasonable demand, after all.

For a moment, the kitsune considered it, but decided that it was not worth having his ears ache for the next few hours. Besides, the priestess would need to be informed sooner or later, and if it spared his delicate hearing the damage, all the better for him.

"I made a deal with the wind witch to meet me at the same spot in two weeks time with information about Naraku's whereabouts. That is a sound date for both things, no?"

Kagome took in the information with only the slightest surprise. Apparently, a lot had happened during the time she had been unconscious. Still, it didn't solve the major problem.

"No, it isn't!" she objected, Koenma will freak out for sure! Wait – he's probably already freaking out!" The realization was far from pleasing, because she knew just what the Reikai prince would yell at her once she got back. "I'll get spankings for this!"

Youko couldn't help it; the corners of his mouth twitched at the mention of such a peculiar punishment. "Spankings?" he repeated, eyebrows rising slightly, though it was clear that he was struggling not to laugh.

The priestess shot him a glare. "Oh, quiet, you! That's a serious punishment!" Obviously, he had never been subjected to it.

"Yes, Reikai seems to be the pinnacle of professionalism. Tell me, do you get candy and sweets for good behaviour?" the kitsune asked, traces of seriousness gradually vanishing from his voice. He had never met Koenma personally, but he knew well what form the prince usually took and obviously already had his own theories about how Reikai was run in general.

"No, but I'll be sure to suggest that!" Kagome grumbled, seeing that there was no helping this. In any case, she would appreciate getting candy for successful missions, but of course that wasn't the case with her job. At least she usually wasn't subjected to spankings, as she rarely botched a mission. Then, another thing occurred to her as she felt the emptiness of her stomach. "Speaking of candy… you wouldn't happen to have any food around here, would you?" It was remarkable how quickly her tone changed from grumpy to hopeful. "I mean real, edible food, not that weird raw meat stuff I've seen Kouga's wolves eat."

She wasn't really counting with the possibility that he might be offended – and, fortunately for her, he wasn't – but then again, she also hadn't expected being silently led to a room that resembled something between a garden and a freezer. The "raw meat stuff" she had no wish to eat was secured in a separate part of the chamber, one that was surprisingly modernly equipped. The priestess had come to believe that Makai was primitive for the most part, but she hadn't seen this kind of technology even in Reikai. It was something like a deep freeze, intended to keep the food fresh for months, at least. And almost right next to it was what could best be described as a garden, though not of the flesh-eating-plant kind. That certainly was one way to keep fruit and vegetables fresh.

"Feel free to pick whatever you consider edible." Youko said, showing the still surprised Kagome where everything was. The highly advanced machines in the room were so in contrast with what she had seen in the rest of Makai that she was actually speechless. "I assume you have basic cooking skills if you don't wish to eat raw meat… _stuff_." the kitsune noted, pronouncing the last word with amusement.

What Kagome understood was that if she wanted food, she could take it, but she had to prepare it herself. For a moment, her mind somehow produced the wildly ridiculous image of Youko in an apron, cooking, but it vanished before she could even appreciate the stupidity of the idea. She wasn't in a hotel; she was in a fortress.

Fortunately, she did possess some rudimentary cooking skills, having camped out in the wilderness with Sango and Miroku more than once. Sango and Miroku… they would have returned to Reikai by now, she realized, and when the SDF would inform Koenma that she had set off to pursue Naraku in the company of one of his minions, they would likely start a search for her… once Koenma would scream his little lungs out, of course.

She didn't like not being able to tell them what had happened, but there was no alternative.

Youko decided to stay and watch the priestess cook, because he somewhat suspected that it was going to be a disaster and didn't really fancy having to put out any kind of fire she might cause. However, it turned out that she wasn't completely useless in the kitchen, her somewhat clumsy usage of the knives. She was a bit afraid of the plants, it seemed, so he decided to step in just that once and handed her the vegetables she was hesitant to take from the plants.

Clearly, the move surprised Kagome, but she took them with gratitude. "Thank you; I wasn't certain what would happen if I did it myself." After all the time they had spent fighting alongside each other, she had a newfound respect for plants.

"No plant in this place shall hurt you while you are my guest." the kitsune said, sensing that some reassurance was needed. "Certainly not a few vegetables." Kagome smiled a bit, realizing that it was unlikely that plants in a kitchen would be hostile, but it was better to be safe than sorry. "Just try not to provoke those in the main garden."

"You mean the one I found you in last time?" Kagome asked while attempting to cut another root.

"Yes." Youko nodded. "What lies beyond is out of bounds for… visitors," Again, he seemed to find the very idea amusing. "and I wouldn't wish to see you hurt trying to sate your curiosity by exploring."

"Then you should tell me what you have there, because I'm not giving any guarantees." Kagome noted, doing her best to start a proper fire now. One that wouldn't spread beyond its designated space, of course. That was the larger problem by far.

A slight frown creased the kitsune's brow. "You shouldn't try to reach that place on your own. The plants guarding it are much more dangerous than those you saw up till now and have the tendency to attack anyone besides myself. Suffice to say that there is nothing of interest to you there."

The priestess took that as a confirmation of her suspicions – one, the tunnels really were meant to be a labyrinth, because she had never once succeeded in finding that large garden again; two, the true "treasure chamber" lay beyond the vast rainforest-like carnivorous plant-filled garden she had seen. Which meant that three, she wasn't getting there on her own and it was obvious that Youko wasn't going to take her there.

"Then tell me about this place." she amended. She was curious in general; besides, he was right. Whatever treasure lay beyond the live security measures was of no interest to her, because she didn't have the skill or the desire to take it. "How long has it been here? It doesn't seem like a naturally-formed cave system, so I'm assuming you built it."

Youko raised an eyebrow, but it was not a serious gesture this time. "Giving out information for free is a rather risky business, wouldn't you say?"

"Okay, I'll trade you some of my wonderful cooking, though I'm sure I'm getting the short end of the stick." Kagome noted, poking one of the pieces of fish she was preparing. It seemed that she hadn't yet messed up. Within half an hour, her food should be ready.

"Not if you insist on testing my immunity to poisons." The kitsune noted in a faux-grave voice, catching the half of a beet root-like vegetable that came flying his way. "Though that might be a better usage for these ingredients. They don't seem to make good throwing weapons."

"You're just jealous of my culinary skills." Kagome countered, in an attempt to return her attention to her food. "_And_ that I can make food multifunctional. I bet you never cooked a thing in your life."

"You already know that demons prefer the "weird raw meat stuff", as you so eloquently put it." The kitsune gave the soon-to-be dish a slightly critical glance. Currently, it wasn't entirely offensive to his nose, but he was curious as to what the final stage of preparation would be. It was one of the reasons he stuck around; he had never seen a human, reigen or anyone cook this way or up close. "I'm inclined to give your… cooking… a chance on the condition that you sample it first."

The priestess shot Youko a glare. That wasn't very nice of him. "You don't make friends too easily, do you?"

For the first time, the fox demon blinked once before answering, but Kagome didn't even have another second to notice any sign of confusion or surprise in him. "When have we established that making friends is my priority or desire?" he asked, glancing once more at the now slightly burned fish with an expectant glance. Kagome noticed it and quickly pulled the fish out of the fire, just in time.

"Instead of criticizing, you could help, you know." the priestess said chidingly, blowing at stream of air at the fish to cool it down and stop the steam from rising.

But the kitsune had already sat down on the nearest piece of furniture designated for that purpose and made no move to assist her. It wasn't as interesting as the alternative. Which was a question. "Tell me about yourself." He said, without a demanding tone, underlining the query with something close to interest beyond the idle level.

Kagome nearly dropped her fish this time. Her already large eyes looked almost protuberant when she shifted her gaze to Youko, who found the effect amusing. Whenever he managed to surprise the priestess a little more, she changed expressions so quickly and to such an extreme that it was almost comical, but somewhat endearing as well.

"About myself?" Kagome repeated, almost hoping that she was wrong. "Wha-what would you want to know?" But that wasn't really what she was thinking. She understood perfectly that Youko probably already had her strengths and weaknesses, plus her scope of power assessed accurately. Which was what brought the question…

Why_ would _you _want to know anything more about _me?

"Whatever you deem interesting." Youko noted in a somewhat blasé manner, but it was clear that he was listening, if one watched his ears, which Kagome refused to admit that she did at times.

But she still had some suspicions regarding the nature of the question. "Well… okay. I've never actually cooked something that was frozen this long." And she poked the next fish she put into the fire. "Are you sure this will be edible?"

"That depends on you, of course." This time, the priestess restrained herself to a dark glare, but that was probably one of the after-effects of her shock from receiving such a question. "Don't you have freezers in Reikai?"

"We do! I think. The palace has its own kitchens, but the staff doesn't exactly give tours."

So they lived directly in the palace of Reikai. That was some news, though Youko noticed with a small feeling of pride that Kagome was now taking care how she worded her answers and didn't succumb to word games as easily as she had when they had first met. Of course, her food-throwing habits were still questionable. "Makai rarely offers such full service to its residents. There is no royalty here."

It was true; most of the Demon Realm was pityingly primitive. But Kagome was used to thinking on the bright side of things, thus instantly found a loophole in the matter. "Well, if you ever decide to switch jobs, I'm sure you'd be a hit in revolutionizing the hotel business."

The very idea, the mental image of it, actually managed to get a faint chuckle out of Youko, though it was still a calm and controlled sound, like everything about him. "Doubtful, but I shall consider it a compliment. Your fish is burning again."

"Oh!" The priestess jumped and tried to put out the fire again. But the fish was already slightly blackish in places, though it would likely still be edible. "Luckily I like fish a bit crispy. It's your fault!" she threw the fox demon a glance of deep disapproval. One could almost think that she was a mother scolding a child for running around her during something important. "You're distracting me!"

"Nonsense. The fish would have looked worse, had it been actively mutilated."

Kagome promptly threw the fish at him.

X X X X X

Fortunately for Kagome, her cooking skills were not impaired enough to cause any damage to the food that would result in lethal sicknesses for her, but she grudgingly had to admit that cooking wasn't her strongest suit, though she had done reasonably well. To her constant annoyance, she wasn't able to navigate the corridors just yet, but then again, once they had extended the truce to fish- and food-tossing in general, Youko suggested that she not wander around too much before healing completely. The gashes on her midsection were almost gone, but she still had some trouble when sitting down and crouching.

In fact, it was almost one hundred percent probable that he had graciously brought her a book or two to prevent her from getting bored simply to confide her to her room – and her bed – permanently. And it was working; Kagome felt no real need to explore after her disastrous attempt to get back to her room alone after eating. Being somewhat dependant on the kitsune wasn't much to her liking, but she had to put up with it. She most definitely didn't want to end up in one of those traps that were scattered around again.

So the first day passed and the second had begun without incident. Kagome had washed and dressed to the best of her ability – there were no hot springs or baths too lavish underground – and spend her time waiting for Youko to arrive and help her get to the kitchen for her meal. Surprisingly, when he arrived (she was getting more and more accurate in sensing when that would happen) he brought her several varieties of fruit to choose from, sparing her the need to even get up.

"You've decided to play the courteous host now?" Kagome asked, though she was rather stunned.

The kitsune tilted his head slightly. "I could let you try to navigate the tunnels and leave you alone, if you prefer." Youko suggested, without the sting a human might have put into those words.

"No, don't!" the priestess said at once, but she wasn't as panicky as she used to be. She knew the fox demon wasn't being serious. "Besides, the books are wonderful, but I don't have anyone to talk to when you're gone… whatever you go do."

"At least you have time to think over intelligent topics." Further baiting, just to see if she had truly mastered the lesson.

Kagome´s left eyebrow twitched a bit. "Hey, I resent that! I bet you take twice as long to think up all those smart-mouthed responses you always shower me with."

"Centuries of practice, plus a source of convenient inspiration." Youko said off-handedly, giving her the plate with one fluent graceful gesture.

"This is what I'm talking about." Kagome noted, fighting the urge to cross her arms. "Instead of this "get on the miko's nerves" game, why don't you tell me when we're going to leave this place."

This time, Youko's eyebrows rose slightly, as if the movement was calculated down to the millimetres. "Tired of me already? That hurts." The ghost of a pout appeared, but the kitsune was serious within an instant. "Your wounds should be healed already, but I would give it another day for your weapon proficiency to return. That will be tested, of course."

"Tested?" Kagome repeated, taken aback.

"Oh, yes." Slowly, a small grin of mischief was surfacing on his face. "Or are you expecting a hero's welcome among my men?"

Kagome considered that. On one hand, there was an underground den and being all alone with a very distracting and very infuriating fox demon. On the other, there was a settlement of a horde of cutthroat demon thieves, plus the aforementioned demon, only the former were likely to be brandishing blades ready to slit her throat at the first opportune moment.

Decisions, decisions…

"On second thought, do we have to go?"

"Absolutely." This time, there was no humour in Youko – he was completely serious. His tone left no room for discussion. "Your jewel brings danger to this place. The energy it emits is very unique and thus easy to spot even for lower-class beasts. I cannot guarantee that the items I have stored here and their auras can completely obscure such a scent and power. Therefore, it is a liability. While it is here, this location is endangered. I would prefer to leave as soon as possible."

"Then let me go back to Reikai." Kagome suggested. Spankings suddenly sounded preferable to the horde of cutthroat demons she was suppose to get friendly with. "We'll both be better off on our own and then I can go meet you and Kagura in two weeks, as agreed."

"Perhaps." Youko admitted, but it was clear that he disagreed. "And perhaps Naraku will once again somehow discover what our plans are and intervene – detain you, destroy the witch or otherwise counter our intentions. It is best that we remain together. He has no means of knowing where you are as long as you are here. This is the unlikeliest of possibilities for your next course of action."

"Don't you think he'll anticipate it nonetheless?" the priestess tried as a last-resort argument.

"An unlikely possibility. One such as he does not know the meaning of the word "truce". We have nothing to fear on that account."

"Well, you certainly have this thought through." Kagome admitted, though she wasn't entirely pleased with the outcome of the debate. But still, she decided to trust his judgment on this account. "Covering all the bases. Is this what you've been doing all the time since I threw the fish at you?"

"For the most part."

Kagome sighed. "Okay… I don't think I like it too much, but… we'll do as you say."

"Excellent." Youko said with a somewhat triumphant glint passing through his amber eyes. "Now, please remove the jewel for a moment."

The priestess did so, possibly expecting that Youko couldn't get close enough to her for her to take the plate without harming him with her aura. This time, her humble guess was completely off. The kitsune sat down on the edge of her bed, removing both the plate of food and the book she had been reading from the vicinity… and then, utterly startling the priestess, he proceeded to start removing her haori, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Without blinking, Kagome yanked her covers upwards, covering herself from the neck down, barely giving Youko enough time to remove his hands.

"Just what in Fifth Hell do you think you're doing?!" she shrieked, but unfortunately, holding the blanket prevented her from being able to reach the jewel.

"I am trying to examine if your injuries have already healed." Youko said, in the closest thing to a deadpan voice he might likely use. Then, the familiar tone of mischief crept back into it. "Just what did you think I was doing?"

And Kagome finally remembered that it had been her belly that had taken the worst of the attacks of Kagura's wind blade, especially due to the slight pain she felt there. "You could have at least warned me!" she snapped instead of answering.

In turn, she received a charming if seductive smile. "Alas, I seem to take pleasure in making you blush, honourable miko-sama, and this is the only available way to achieve that." Kagome really didn't know what to think. "Rest assured that I am not that crude in mindset."

_One cannot be assured of anything when you come into the picture. _Kagome wanted to say. "All right, but that wasn't funny." she said instead.

"It wasn't intended to be." the kitsune admitted with a gentler expression, which wasn't at all reassuring. "So think the matter over carefully. You might find yourself regretting."

"I would regret accepting more than I would regret refusing." Kagome said, entirely certain of the truth in that.

_So would I_. Youko never considered saying it. Instead, he got back to his feet.

"Have your meal and rest. I will come check upon you in a few hours. Tomorrow, we will see if you are ready to hold your own physically as well." And he vanished with a soft rustle of robes, the silvery tail swishing behind him, leaving Kagome to wonder.

What if she was destined to be destroyed in a way different than the physical?

X X X X X

AN: Okay, so I lied a bit. The last scene wasn't meant to be there yet, but I really liked it and it came naturally and… you get the picture! I'm off, people! Next chapter might be filled with more quasi-romance goodness!


	20. Paradise

Sorry for the delay, people, but I was writing a climactic battle scene that takes place later on in the story and so I didn't have much time to write this chapter. Hopefully, the next one won't feel like filler; this one does, to a certain degree, but as you liked the last bit of quasi-romance thrown in the last chapter, I thought I'd treat you a bit again. After all, it isn't that likely to get the spotlight anytime soon… or is it? Anyway, I hope the story continues to fulfil your expectations. It does for mine.

On a side note, I've got a major test the week after the next, so don't expect an update next weekend. Just wish me luck – microeconomics and its graphs aren't as easy as you'd think.

But back to the story! The first part is in its second half, meaning that the story is nearly at the halfway mark. Heh, what? Expected a quick end now that they're all alone in a cave with no one to hear them scream… ahem, sorry, wrong story. No horror in this one… though what they're being put through in the chapter I was writing the other day closely resembles that genre. No spoilers, though. How would that be entertaining?

X X X

**Paradise**

X X X X X

"No, this trick won't work… how on earth are you ever going to explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a phenomenon as first love?"

- Albert Einstein

X X X X X

The rest of the day passed without incident, save for Kagome's constant not-so-subconscious attempts to think up reasons exactly why she didn't need her wounds checked… not yet at least. But aside from that, she realized with some surprise that she found the underground sanctuary almost… homey. It was like a labyrinth from a dream, a magical wonderland, not without its dangers, but neither lacking its distinct charm.

The next day, she didn't wait for Youko to bring her the meal; she had spent enough time in her room on her own and besides, she was curious about what kind of test this might be. After several tries, she finally managed to navigate her way through the tunnels to where the fox demon was, which was indeed a first. Truthfully, she had absolutely no idea what he had been up to while she had been resting or searching for him – it seemed that he always just appeared out of thin air.

Of course, it was highly probable that he had only gone out of his way and went out to meet her, despite whatever he might have been doing. As usual, he was the vision of an animated statue, luminous but somehow bestial still. And he seemed absolutely unconcerned about what had happened the previous day, if he even believed it worthy of consideration. Kagome herself had given it a great deal of thought but had yet to reach any conclusion. Any rational conclusion, that was.

"Your injuries have completely closed without scarring. There should be no permanent damage." the kitsune noted instead of as much as a good morning greeting.

Kagome blinked, a flicker of annoyance rising within her. So he was able to tell her state of health through scent alone… and the little scene yesterday had had no meaning save for getting a reaction out of her. Gritting her teeth as soundlessly and as unnoticeably as she found humanly possible – though of course Youko noticed it without fault – she refrained from commenting on that for the moment.

"What a relief." she said instead. "So, I'm guessing that I have to do this test of yours anyway, so we might as well get it over with, right?"

"Certainly." The kitsune said with a charming smile that promptly got on Kagome's nerves, because she correctly guessed the reason for it. "We can deal with that right now." They were in a sufficiently large room already, thus it was clear that they didn't have to move from the spot. Nevertheless, the priestess was somewhat surprised when she was handed a simple polished staff instead of her bow, which, incidentally, had also been removed from her sleeping personage beforehand.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" she asked, holding the staff up. It was actually somewhat nice-looking, the dark wooden object, but otherwise…

Even more surprising was when Youko returned with another staff for himself. "Defend yourself, of course." The pleasant expression on his face was strangely ominous. "If you are able to block one strike, it will mean that your physical strength has returned completely and your ability to defend yourself has regenerated."

"Fine. Except for the part when my physical strength is about a hundredth of yours." The priestess noted, half-ironically. It was almost like a joke. "And you probably expect me to fight only using physical force, right?"

"Correct." Again, she got the distinct impression that he was indulging her somewhat. "But there isn't any need to worry. I will hold back sufficiently to use strength only on par with a semi-average human. This is a test of your current state, not an attempt to injure you again." Once that was established, Kagome promptly found the staff knocked out of her hand without too much of an effort. "But try to take this seriously. It's for your own good."

The second attempt was serious; Kagome did try to block the strike, but wasn't sufficiently focused and also a bit anxious about what level of strength the assault would be. On the third, she managed to do better, if only a little.

"Have you ever fought with a melee weapon before?" Youko asked as Kagome picked up the staff for the third time. She seemed to have at least some idea on how to hold the staff, but otherwise, it was somewhat dismal.

"I had some rudimentary training, but I've never used a weapon other than my bow in combat." the priestess admitted, a bit glumly. Usually, it was always Sango or Miroku who dealt with the melee; otherwise, it was always her barrier that dealt with the possible melee attacks. There had never been any need to learn anything of the sort. "How does this help, anyway?"

"Basic utilization of your entire muscular structure." Youko summarized briefly. "You might consider devoting more attention to alternative fighting techniques, other than your innate powers."

"Practice takes time, which I rarely have. I'm always needed somewhere. Aren't you?" Kagome asked, though there was a little bit of a sad realization behind it. Her entire existence, day and night, year after year and then decades, centuries… devoted to a single goal that might never be completed. The Shikon no Tama could be as eternal as the Three Realms and never be destroyed.

"It seems that right now, I'm needed here." It would have sounded like a deeper meaning had Youko not promptly knocked the staff out of the priestess's hand again, thus making it clear what he was referring to. After several more tries, though, she managed to do it properly, showing clearly that the problem was her lack of focus and concentration, not a lack of physical prowess.

"I've never seen _you _fight with anything but a whip."

"Trusting only in prior observations is somewhat reckless, wouldn't you say?" The fox demon gave his own staff a practice twirl, which would have been enough to impress most martial arts masters from Ningenkai. But the test, if that was what it could be called, was over. "I will take you back to your room so you can rest for the journey. We will leave tomorrow."

Well, that was a sudden change.

"And then?" Kagome asked. A week and a half in a demon-thief settlement… that thought was enough to see the reasoning about regaining strength.

Youko frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you yourself said that I'll hardly be a welcome guest at your camp. Allowing me to even set foot there is pretty daring, but actually allowing me to stay there is almost like a full-scale revolution. Won't it undermine your authority?" There was no other way to interpret it, other than concern, though it was questionable for who or what it was meant for.

"All actions have their respective reactions. And mutterings are the small price to pay for the delight of your company." Youko seemed thoroughly unconcerned by those quite valid doubts about what might happen at the camp.

However, Kagome was more interested in the slightly accented part of the second sentence. ""Delight?" You make it sound like we're best friends going on a picnic."

"As long as you don't insist on making the food. Careful now!" Youko warned as Kagome took a swing at his head and missed by what could be considered inches.

"What would you know? I bet you can't even make scrambled eggs!"

The priestess swung the staff again, missing due to the speed of the kitsune's reactions. He didn't even raise his own weapon against her, merely continued to dodge the continued strikes with a smile gracing his face. Actually, for a reigen untrained in close combat, it wasn't a pathetic attempt. But when it came to the physical side of things, there was almost no comparing them.

It was not really effective combat, but as a stress-reliever, it worked wonderfully for Kagome. Now if only he'd stop dodging… making an impact would have likely helped her psyche tremendously.

After about half a minute of this light exercise, Youko leapt up a bit higher and landed behind Kagome, pressing the staff he had not used at all before to her throat with both hands. The priestess didn't choke, as the force was deliberately gentler than it would have been in a real battle, but it was still nothing comforting.

"Game over." A breath whispered near her right ear; a hushed but pleased sound. It was entirely enticing but more frightening than imaginable.

She couldn't allow this to continue. She had to speak. Speaking meant opening her mouth. And making a sound.

"Game?" Kagome asked. Her throat was dry, which was the reason her voice sounded that breathy… right? More importantly, was this a game… all a game?

What was reality; what was illusion? Here, separated from the world, hidden, all seemed to have a dreamlike quality… though it was difficult to see whether or not it was nightmarish.

Quite suddenly, the firm pressure on her throat was gone and Kagome stumbled forward a few steps. She hadn't even realized that she had been trying to get away through some instinct. By the time she turned around, Youko had focused his attention on retrieving something from the nearest closet-like piece of furniture. It turned out to be her bow and arrows; untouched, the arrowheads as sharp as ever, intact. The very surprised priestess took both the quiver and the bow, searching Youko's face for answers.

When she finally caught a glimpse of it, the unreadable expression he wore was nearly enough to prove stupefying. It was not the cold superiority that she had seen in the Lord Sesshomaru – it was simple lack of any emotion or thought. It was a mask, of course, but the impenetrable nature of it was what was most shocking.

"I've changed my mind. We will leave today, preferably within the hour." he said in a completely different tone of voice; detached, giving orders to an underling not even worthy of his notice. But the priestess noticed that, consciously or not, Youko didn't look her in the eye. "Any items within your room you find of use to you are yours to keep. Rest while you can. I will return for you shortly."

To be brief, Youko didn't like this. Whatever the situation, he preferred being in control, or at least having a vague idea of how to get there. This time, the problem itself was simple: the Shikon no Tama seemed to be somewhat capricious. Last time, it had allowed him contact as if nothing had happened. But when he had a weapon – or something that could even vaguely be considered as such – at her throat, the jewel had begun to repel him somewhat until resulting in somewhat of a pressure.

Eventually, he would be faced with choosing the way of taking the Shikon no Tama, be it sooner or later. And the fact that its energy still had an effect on even him was somewhat troublesome. This was something that would require careful consideration and extensive planning. Thus far, the only pattern he had been able to distinguish was that it reacted to the danger the priestess was in. So gaining the jewel meant that he had to do so through stealth and care rather than raw strength. A method he preferred in any case, but that also included not incapacitating Kagome in any way. Which presented somewhat of a riddle, as with her powers intact, the priestess was very much a threat.

That was the reason for his careful build-up of another option, one he hadn't considered at first, but which possessed a certain appeal now. After all, a physical victory wasn't the only victory… or the only loss. That was a lesson many hadn't learned in a lifetime.

It didn't matter, in the end. All that interested him was gain and use; after all, what was there to life other than those two things? They were means to a purpose and his purpose was clear: to lead. To be strong. To revolutionize Makai to the very core.

The kitsune returned only about fifteen minutes later, though a small part of those minutes was spent watching Kagome, who appeared to only be sitting and watching every detail of her temporary room. She didn't seem at all inclined to take anything from the chamber, as if doing so would upset some precious harmony she appeared to see there. Again, not a trait that someone like him expected to see in any living creature. And she was not the first reigen he had encountered in his lifetime.

"Kagome."

The priestess raised her head in a quick but not startled manner. She had become somehow used to the presence of his youki by now, thus she didn't react with the same shock as before. Youko himself wasn't quite certain whether that was good because it showed just how much progress he had made in getting close to the priestess or bad because getting closer to her entirely undetected would be more difficult from now on.

But in contrast to the vibrant display of emotions that had been passing through her face and scent like, she was more composed than she previously was. It was pleasant to see and unnerving to witness. For a moment, it was almost as if he had truly lost control of the situation, because this was not the way he had expected her to act.

The priestess got to her feet without a word of protest.

"Are we going, then?" she asked. There was a soothing calm in her voice that hadn't been there before. As if she had reached some sort of decision or accepted the circumstances as they were. Unpredictable and unnerving, and while she radiated no hostile intent at all, the kitsune really didn't know how to approach such a strategy, if it was a strategy… or an absence of one.

"Yes."He dismissed the matter. It was of no importance. Or perhaps it was of the utmost importance, yet it had no answer… or the answer didn't lie within her. And that was the most frightening of all possibilities. "We will be leaving for the currently inhabited settlement of my horde. You have nothing to worry about while staying there as a guest, under my protection."

It wasn't a vow or a promise, but it was the closest thing to it Kagome had heard him make. "Your protection?" Somehow, she couldn't imagine the fox demon going against his own men to defend her, though it was an appealing fantasy. Or perhaps his influence and power was as great in politics as it was on the battlefield and his iron rule was enough to keep any ideas of weaker demons in check.

Misinterpreting the suggestion, the fox demon allowed a small grin to enhance his features. "I imagine you have little need of it, but as things stand, you have no choice but to accept it. I would rather not cause an unnecessary dispute in my own camp and your presence alone seems to have a dispute-creating effect on demons."

"I've been told." the priestess noted, but not glumly. On the contrary, she felt something tug at the corner of her lips and realized that she had actually given a smile in return, like the smile a sick person gives to their healer while receiving news that the injuries would pass.

That the pain would pass.

"As brief as your stay will be, I would like to ask you not to utilize your powers unless absolutely necessary. Your presence alone is rather unique, which allows easy tracking for demons. However, in the presence of my men, the difference between your energy and youki should be lowered to a minimum, like the chance of Naraku locating you." The name left a bitter metallic taste in his mouth. What preposterousness, the name alone. Hell. But some were doomed to have their destination written on their faces – or in their names.

Kagome nodded, understanding the reason for such a request. After all, they had come very far already and if Naraku wasn't able to pick up their trace after the retreat, it was likely that they had a chance. Her thoughts briefly strayed to Kagura. Hopefully, the wind witch remained undiscovered, as did her plot.

"I promise."

"Very well. Have you taken all you need?"

"I need only my weapons and the jewel. I don't want to carry unnecessary weigh around. Besides," she wrinkled her nose slightly. "I don't think I would feel good about taking stolen goods." It was possible that she wasn't aware that everything within the room was worth probably a hundred times more than all of her equipment, but her practical nature was appreciated.

Still, Youko found her squeamishness amusing, which appeared to be the case with all of her little and insignificant traits. "Whoever owned them has likely been dead for centuries. The ownership has passed on to the next person according to the only rule that counts among thieves."

"That being?"

"Finders keepers."

"How do you know the original owner was indeed a thief?" Kagome asked suspiciously.

"Who isn't?" Youko asked rhetorically, drawing something from his robes. It turned out to be, unsurprisingly, a flower. Not the customary rose that always signified that a battle was underway; rather, it reminded Kagome of some of the plants she remembered from her life in Ningenkai, many lifetimes ago. "For you."

The priestess seemed to think it was a joke or a trick at first, but that suspicion lasted only about a second. The golden eyes observing her carefully were very serious. A small spark of energy flied between their fingers when Kagome reached out to take the flower, though it was entirely physical, nothing created by the possible implications such an act might have in the mind of a creature that had been nothing more than a teenaged human girl for many long years.

It was the first time anyone had ever given her a flower. And she didn't know how to react, but knew that she should, because it held some significance she couldn't fathom.

"It's beautiful." She said when she observed it from up close. Its precise colour seemed to be a mystery, but the scent was almost as if a rainbow had been turned into perfume when she smelled it. And then, there was the scent she had memorized unwillingly when there had been no way to prevent strands of silver hair from whipping her across the face during a long journey through Makai. She inhaled the scent deeply, bringing the flower close to her face. "Thank you."

It took mere seconds.

Apparently, the spark of energy had been the jewel sensing what the priestess could not see or remember; that she had seen a flower similar to this one before, when they had first met. It was the very same flower he had given Kuronue to use on the demon slayer to incapacitate her quickly and effectively without the use of violence. Things would be much easier this way; besides, there was no need for Kagome to see and know exactly where the vault was located.

No one without permission could ever set foot there.

The unconscious priestess fell into his arms; with no one to stop if from happening this time, it was an easy trick to pull off, especially as she seemed to believe that fooling her twice was difficult. There would be hell to pay when she would return to the world of the living, of course… but it was a price worth paying.

After all, he much preferred the childish, yelling Kagome to the calm and unpredictable priestess he had been faced with moments previously.

To ensure the greatest longevity of the flower's effect, he tucked it behind her ear and secured it in her hair. Then, making sure that her bow and arrows were still in place, he scooped up Kagome´s body and carried her out of the vault-tunnels and into the wild. It was night outside; but it was a peaceful sight to behold. The nearest youki was miles away and it was nowhere near powerful enough to be a threat.

Otherwise, the part of Makai they were in was quiet and peaceful. A strange combination for the world of demons.

Securing the pathway with the usual security measures, the kitsune took off at top speed, so that not even traces of their respective energies would remain at that place for long.

In contrast to Sango, whose stamina exceeded hers, the priestess awoke hours later. At first, she was fully expecting to awaken in her bed in the underground chamber. After all, it was too bizarre to have been real. It had to have been a dream; Youko Kurama giving her flowers?

Unless… you remembered that he was the kind of demon that happened to use flowers as weapons…

She was still slightly paralyzed from the flower's effect, thus her stirring alerted Youko to her consciousness before she herself knew it. Before she could shrug off the after-effects of the paralysis.

"Don't speak just yet. We aren't in hostile territory, but sounds might stir up the wildlife." Youko spoke before Kagome could even let out a groan. They were very close to the forest where their camp was and by the time they reached the woods, the priestess was fully awake and muttering something about damned kitsune and their lack of good manners and stupid pretty flowers.

The muttering was replaced by a muffed shriek the moment the kitsune leapt from the ground and into the higher trees for the first time. After all, it was somewhat of a shock, but one would think she would have been used to it already.

Still, she sensed a great deal of youki around them and most of it was strong…

But where could one hide a demon settlement this large in the woods?

Her silent question was answered when they reached the treetops. Kagome almost gasped.

The sight was overwhelming. Perhaps the first thing to come to mind when imagining a den of thieves was a lair, filthy and barely hidden, a cave or some such place. In that matter, the so-called den was the exception proving the rule, perhaps; it was nothing even close to a cave. Rather, it was a settlement in the depths of the Makai forests, high up in the ancient trees, where only exceptional climbers or those with the ability to fly could reach.

It was only seemingly easy to locate – usually, no one would expect a settlement so high above the ground, let alone one of this extent. And she then understood the serious advantages of this arrangement. For one thing, escape was possible from whatever direction needed; the thieves weren't limited to a certain number of exits, as they would in a cave. Secondly, the height allowed an effective lookout for any unwanted visitors without drawing suspicion from the less cautious. And last of all, it was the advantage most obvious to her, having experienced it used on her a few times.

The trees. The surrounding plant life. Everything.

Unless you were fast enough to outrun your surroundings, there was nowhere to escape from the controller of the giant organic cage.

No wonder the thieves felt safe there, Kagome realized, with a certain fear at entering such an obviously escape-proof environment. Youko, who seemed to be able to discern her mood simply by her scent, felt her body tense for a fraction of a second and awarded her with a cheeky grin, which produced the irritated expression he had grown accustomed to – and thus also momentarily erased the tension on Kagome's part.

"Fear is unnecessary." he commented.

"I'm not afraid!" Kagome huffed at once, glaring.

"Now what did I say about lies?"

"I'm just not entirely sure how sane this is – entering a place full of demons, where you have an obvious advantage in battle." So, she had noticed that little detail. She was perceptive when she felt strongly about something.

"You needn't worry." The kitsune said, almost as if chiding her slightly, but amused at her antics at the same time. "I don't make a habit of going back on my word. I need you to battle Naraku, so logically, I will not harm you." _But I promise nothing afterwards. _

Logically. Yes, logically.

The last leap they took was the longest yet, but by then, it was clear that the demons on watch – and Kagome finally saw that they really had sentinels guarding the settlement – were fully aware of at least Youko's presence. Contrary to concealing it, it seemed that he was deliberately giving out a signal through his youki. It was an advance warning.

The atmosphere in the forest seemed to have changed somewhat; even Kagome felt it. And as they landed, joyous shouts were actually heard. The words were mostly unintelligible, but their meaning was clear. The leader had returned. It was more of a homely greeting than anything she had experienced in Reikai.

Being a living legend likely had its perks.

Once on the platform, Youko put Kagome back to her feet and the priestess had a chance to see that demons were gathering; all kinds of demons, though all were strong and clearly dangerous. But the group of them… it was power. No wonder the horde was feared so. It was a force to be reckoned with and even a group of experienced SDF officers would have had trouble with them. They were all more or less human-looking, which was what strong demons usually preferred.

Most of them only had eyes for Youko, who remained the most imposing and powerful figure even in comparison to those around him. But it was obvious that he felt at home here… at least slightly. At least the tiniest part of him cared about this place, though he himself might not have realized it yet.

And then, when the commotion had ended somewhat, a silence followed. For a moment, all eyes shifted to Kagome, who was dwarfed somewhat by the tall demon standing next to her. She actually thought that it was possible they wouldn't even notice her when she was with Youko, but apparently, she had been wrong about that.

Then, the demons looked at their leader, at the priestess again, and a hush of whispers, like tiny little flames, were ignited. Some eyes were eager, some almost curious, but there was a shark-like quality to all. Obviously, they all shared the same thought. Youko had left them so that he could capture both the Shikon no Tama and the priestess. After all, what other solution was there?

It was a cage closing in around her and Kagome noticed it too late. Strangely, she took a step closer to Youko, who paid it no heed. All that was keeping the demons away was awe for their leader and wariness of her powers. It was clear.

But the tension couldn't last; especially when the only other demon Kagome recognized pushed his way through the crowd and gave the astonished priestess a roguish grin.

"Long time, no see, Kagome-sama!" Kuronue said cheerfully, as if this was nothing at all. He was as Kagome remembered from their one encounter; tall, clad in a peculiar set of black clothing and somewhat unnaturally optimistic.

"You…!" But then again, she shouldn't be that surprised. It was the cheerfulness that took her by surprise, not his presence.

"Kuronue, at your service." The bat demon noted, remembering he hadn't actually introduced himself to her last time. Just on the safe side, he gave a slight bow, noticing that the priestess certainly wasn't wearing the clothing one would expect a priestess to wear. "Welcome to the juiciest slice of the paradise known as Makai!"


	21. Emeralds for the maiden

I'm being exceptionally good to you today, people! Exceptionally good! But only because I had most of this chapter written in advance and really wanted to have it done… because I don't wanna study! Grr… it's so boring… but I have to, starting tomorrow, so I needed to get this out of my system. This chapter was originally sixteen pages long, but I keep my chapters ten chapters long, so I cut that content and will put it into the next one. Hopefully, this chapter isn't overdone – right now, it's more focused on the romance than the plotline progress, though it is progressing. It's important to have this develop as well. In any case, you romance freaks should be overjoyed! Ciao!

X X X

**Emeralds for the maiden**

X X X X X

"I laugh, I love, I hope, I try, I hurt, I need, I fear, I cry. And I know you do the same things too. So we're really not that different, me and you."

- Colin Raye

X X X X X

It didn't take long for Kagome to find out that the atmosphere in the camp was far less than welcoming.

In fact, she hadn't expected anything of the sort, but this was almost ridiculous. The bad thing was that she couldn't even bring herself to be amused. It had been three days since they had arrived, three days since the moment she had stood in Youko's shadow when he returned to his men. Three days… how quickly one's perception of the world could change in such a short time.

She still remembered the moment they had stood there, how angry she had been inside, still remembering the trick with the flower – the one she couldn't bring herself to throw away even now, though she had taken every measure to make it seem as if she had discarded it days ago. After tearing it to shreds, of course. She couldn't bring herself to having a tantrum over it, however. It was still the first gift of the sort she had ever received in her life, whatever the purpose for receiving it might be, and she decided to cherish it for that.

Three days ago, Youko had calmly faced the horde of demons that obeyed his every command, apparently, and explained both patiently and commandingly, that she would be their guest until that and that day for that and that purpose. Kuronue, the only one she recognized among the mass of demons, kept a semi-interested expression throughout the brief monologue, but it seemed he was the only one not to appear downright shocked – for whatever reason.

The general enthusiasm of the demons lasted until the moment when they were informed that they were not to harm Kagome in any way for the duration of her stay. Clearly, some of them were hoping for having a free attempt at grabbing the jewel or killing her for some twisted version of glory. Of course, none of them were actually strong enough to withstand her powers for longer than several seconds, but that wouldn't stop them from trying. It never did.

"This is a warning to you all. Should you survive an attempt to test it, you will likely learn what existence without a few limbs feels like."

Curious how he had phrased it. That was what he had said… without mentioning that the person who would harm her would address to him or anything of the sort. She had underestimated him and his cleverness, Kagome realized. Youko always had a plan prepared, always knew which string to pull, what word to use…

Wasn't such an existence painful? She wondered. To always be the strong one… she couldn't imagine such a life. She could have led one like that herself, but she trusted her friends with her very soul. And here, even though it was obvious from the beginning that there was a degree of trust between the kitsune and Kuronue, at the very least, it was obvious that there were no true friends among the horde. What they felt for their leader was respect, tainted with a twinge of fear and awe. Not friendship. They were far too terrified of him, too respectful at the same time.

And she? She wasn't afraid of him, which was her mistake. She realized that she couldn't be afraid of him, despite the danger of who and what he was, despite him being likely the most dangerous creature she had ever encountered. And it wasn't because there was goodness in him – for all she knew, there wasn't – or because of his treatment of her – because it was all just a game, wasn't it? – or because of how she viewed him.

She couldn't fear him because she trusted him. That trust sent shivers into her very soul. It had come so easily, a quiet thing, and now, faced with it, she didn't really know how to deal with it. But it was there, present, consistent; she trusted him to be himself.

Her thoughts and her wandering footsteps were interrupted by the sound of a shrill female voice that was clearly criticizing something. The priestess dived behind the nearest object large enough to hide her – that being the nearest wall. She had encountered several demons that day and she really wasn't looking forward to more suspicious and half-frightened, half-hostile stares, as if she was about to start purifying them on a whim.

"…can't understand what he sees in her! It's a downright scandal to have a reigen here, but to have _that_ here? Preposterous!"

Kagome took care not to be seen or heard. Certainly, they would be able to feel her aura, but honestly, which demon in the encampment couldn't? It was pointless to even attempt to disguise it – that might actually have the wrong effect. Demons were able to know she was around somewhere, but pinpointing her exact location was more difficult. And her presence had been hovering over the encampment for the past few days – she heard a demon or two say that it felt like a guillotine hanging over their heads.

So she was a thing in their eyes? The snobbish female voice she immediately disliked was answered with a timid one. "It's not like there's anything to be done about it, Hanako. You heard what he said, no one is to even approach her, let alone harm her while she remains here. Or do you want to go against the wishes of Kurama-sama?"

It was a group of female demons, clearly, and Kagome required little to understand what was going on. Obviously, not everyone was a happy camper about her stay. Well, hardly anyone was, to tell the truth – including herself. Only Kuronue seemed to be strangely cheerful, almost perky, whenever showing her around, which was quite often, because she felt lonely otherwise. She hadn't as much as spoken a word to Youko ever since they had arrived, though she had seen him around. However, he seemed to have resumed that irritating disappearing act of his.

The little stab of pain within her was silenced when a deep contralto voice laughed an unpleasant mockery of a laugh. "Yes, try it, little sister. It would be a break of the monotony to see you get thrown out of here… but don't think it would earn you his attention. You'd be flattering yourself if you think Kurama would do it personally."

"Don't give me your crap, Wattan!" The first voice bit back in annoyance. It could only be assumed that Wattan was the third demon's name, not that it concerned Kagome much. She hadn't seen this kind of behaviour ever since… well, ever since she had died. She vaguely remembered girls her age in Ningenkai chatting and fighting over handsome young men, but never had any of them been this vindictive. "You weren't talking so big back when he brought that... woman here! Your face was singing a different tune then!"

"You seemed to have some trouble keeping a stiff upper lip yourself when you saw that she wasn't a withered old hag like you'd wish." Wattan commented, her voice resembling a taunt leer. That surprised Kagome – apparently, not as much information as she thought was known about her in Makai. Or perhaps this was simply another sign of not everyone being nearly as well informed as her kitsune captor.

"I don't care what the damned twit looks like! She doesn't belong here, period! Besides, if she's supposed to stay unharmed she should head back to Reikai and stay there!" Hanako huffed and grumbled. Her voice alone was giving off the impression of sulkiness. And, finally, Kagome realized what this was, why they were debating her at all.

Jealousy.

So trivial, so ordinary, so natural. Jealousy, based on the simple fact that she had appeared to be close to their idol. If even for a moment.

And somehow, Kagome felt her heart race. Not because of the obvious possible reasons; it was because she had simply never considered such a thing herself. Yet these demons, these women seemed to deem it natural. They didn't care that she was a priestess. All that seemed to be visible to them was that she was female and he was male and therefore the equation was clear as day…

"Not like you can lay a finger on her, dearie." Another voice, resembling a high-pitched flutter, remarked. "Unless you want it burned off… I hear that purification is no healing technique when used on demons."

Kagome could only assume that it was Hanako who snorted and grumbled something clearly unflattering about her under her breath. The bigger mystery was – why was she listening to this? Why did she linger? The opinions of demons regarding her non-existent romance with Youko were hardly the kind of thing her time was worth, but she remained where she was, without a sound.

"Anyway, cool your hormones." The same fluttering voice added, rather maturely for such a young-sounding creature. "Don't know about the reigen, but Kurama-sama is anything but stupid. If you had watched closely instead of playing the insulted queen, you'd have realized that he hadn't as much as looked at the girl ever since bringing her here. Do the math."

"So? Maybe he-they… have already…! Urgh, it's too disgusting to even say!"

Kagome, still hidden, felt as if someone had stabbed her in the stomach and she was going to be left for a slow, painful death. Then, she felt embarrassed and angry at the same time. Mostly the latter, though. Just how had they come to_ that_ conclusion?!

But someone seemed to have rolled their eyes over that hysterical accusation. "You need to be pure in order to purify. I know thinking hurts, honey, but do try, at least."

"How come she was wearing those clothes, then?! Those aren't a miko's robes – unless you have some ingenious way of convincing me otherwise, I'd say that a certain someone gave them to her! And why else would a female receive gifts if she wasn't being courted – or as a reward for certain services!"

"Sometimes I wonder if you're really that stupid or if you just fake it to get attention, Hanako."

"Oh, fine, so I'll just pretend that his eyes weren't making love to her face from the very moment he brought the wench here!" In her hiding place, Kagome blanched. Something was vibrating within her. It was very close to fear… but not quite. That was how he had looked at her? But no; it was an exaggeration, a product of jealousy.

Someone gave a shrill laugh. "Who cares if he likes her face or not? That's hardly what counts here!"

"Easy on the new kid, Kaoru." Another voice laughed. There were at least six or seven women there, for certain. "She still thinks she'll be queen of the harem within the week just because she's willing to spread her legs and out-talk the competition behind their backs!"

_Harem?_ Kagome recognized the foreign word with surprise and shock. It was _that_ bad?

"Like you have anything to talk about, Nozomi! Just because _you _haven't had a man in over a century doesn't mean we're all that out of practice!" There was a general laughter, some of it malicious, some carefree.

"Good things are worth waiting for when you savour the anticipation. But you wouldn't know much about that. We're not all as desperate as you, honey!" Another batch of laughter and the hidden priestess was almost expecting a catfight to begin. But nothing happened; apparently, such spats were a regular occurrence.

Gradually, the women moved away, still chattering amongst themselves. The priestess slumped down to the ground with a slight sinking feeling. When she was certain they were out of earshot, she managed to get a brief glimpse of the demons. All of them were women, naturally, all of them looked attractive even from a distance, though unusual nonetheless. Kagome had never had problems with her appearance; she had never faced a trauma about whether or not she was pretty. She had never painted her face; she had no inkling as to what way of doing her hair was best. She always went for comfort.

But seeing all those women made her feel slightly envious. True, even from behind, their clothing was a bit more practical than stylish, but it couldn't be clearer that they each had a jewel here, an accessory there, just to catch someone's eye. it was stylish, which was also something she had never considered to be needed for her existence. It was… bait.

"I spy with my little eye, something green."

Kagome almost jumped; she hadn't even heard Kuronue approach her. The bat youkai gave a grin as he sat down on the ground next to her. She had forgotten that the main reason for him hanging around her was that Youko had appointed him her guide the first day. And it had been a damned good choice – Kuronue was a friendly person, she discovered, when he wasn't her enemy any longer. More cheerful than the fox demon, his exact opposite in terms of fashion preferences and thus far, only good-natured towards her, which was slightly confusing.

Equally confusing was whether he was now referring to her clothing, which happened to be green, or something else, which she hoped wasn't noticeable or, preferably, not even present on her face.

"Kuronue-san! You shouldn't sneak up on people like that!" she scolded him instead. She had been looking for him, in a way – she was a bit hungry and it was about lunchtime anyway. "I just got a bit sidetracked."

"I noticed. Who would have suspected that the honourable miko-sama had a habit of eavesdropping on innocent unsuspecting demon females?" the bat youkai noted with an equally innocent but grave expression.

Kagome shot him a dark look. "Innocent is the last word I'd ever use for them."

Now that she thought about it, perhaps that was only right for that group. After all, she had had the chance to see that the settlement was truly a village – with all that came with it. Many a demon resided there, from all age groups. Even some children had caught her eye, though she could have imagined them; they were very swift in disappearing.

"And you would be correct in that. You've probably noticed that you're literally the talk of the town now."

"I'd have to be blind, deaf and dumb not to, especially when everyone's acting like I'm a bomb about to explode."

"And aren't you?" Kuronue avoided the little jolt of energy sent his way, just enough to sting slightly. "You knew the risks involved when you agreed to come. Kurama filled me in on things as soon as you arrived."

Kurama…

She had been given a nice new room, a friendly escort and a whole lot of bad karma that hung in the air. Yet the kitsune himself had vanished upon arriving; truly enough, the women had hit the jackpot – he had not as much as looked at her ever since their arrival.

Kuronue studied the priestess momentarily. He had initially questioned the purpose of bringing her here, but now, what he questioned more was that what was happening now, the aftermath of it, was somehow uncustomary for Youko; the kitsune had said that he intended to consider her an ally for the time being, but then treated her like some object that had to be stored and put away until the time for its use would come. And, strangest of all, he didn't even bother making certain that everything was going according to his plan. Letting events unfold without his influence… that was highly unusual…

But the reasons for that were both logical and crystal clear to someone who understood his position, which Kuronue did. But the priestess really seemed lost and perhaps it would be better to make her understand before her personality would get the better of her and she would start asking questions without answers – and then, things could get nasty, though he doubted that she knew the purpose of blackmail.

"You ran into the resident angry spinsters – fortunately, they didn't seem to notice you. I guess you're wondering why they seem to have taken a particular interest in your person, not only the jewel." Kuronue noted, giving the glowing gemstone a brief glance. It seemed he was uncertain whether to put on a serious face or maintain his cheerful disposition. "It's actually very simple."

"You could start by explaining why they call themselves the harem." the priestess said with a frown. She was suddenly glad that she hadn't chosen to leave her weapons in her room. Apparently, it would be a requirement for survival.

"All in due time. Now, as you have noticed, there is a somewhat surprising number of female youkai around. Not to say that females cannot fight," he added with a hasty glance at Kagome's bow, "but those with the kind of skills we might be looking for are usually rare." Kagome decided she rather didn't want to know what skills he had in mind and nodded slightly. "The truth is, the majority was either tricked or seduced – or both – by Kurama."

The priestess certainly paled at that and, as the kitsune wasn't at hand, gave Kuronue a somewhat scandalized look. There was a whole settlement full of female demons out there!

Apparently, the bat youkai understood her meaning and tilted his head a bit in interest. He somehow doubted that Kagome would comprehend that such a reaction could be interpreted as the green-eyed monster – though jealousy in this case, not envy – perking up for a moment.

"Sorry, I didn't think you still thought in terms of human life-spans. You know that Kurama has been around for over a millennium, right?" _And those females are only the useful ones… _"It's not that unnatural."

"Not to you, maybe." Kagome said reproachfully.

With a sheepish look, Kuronue continued. "Well, to be simple, those females each have some ability or talent that makes them useful – but it comes at a price."

The priestess forgot her irritation, if only momentarily. She was curious, though she thought she had an idea where this was going.

"Price?" she repeated, slightly uneasily. They couldn't be _that _useful...

The bat youkai gave a nod, apparently sharing her sentiments at least partially. "They share faith in the same utopia – that one day, Kurama will mate them for real." He shook his head slightly, amused but also tired by those antics. "It's a pointless waste of time and a delusion at that."

That left the priestess wondering something – wasn't it the goal of every creature to, somewhere in their lives, find someone to spend it with? Or, at least, the instinct of those who had the opportunity to do so. Surely not even Youko Kurama, for all this famed coolness, was not immune to a natural impulse. She wasn't either, unfortunately, she recalled with sadness, though at least there was little chance that she should encounter anyone that would want to bind himself to her in such a fashion.

But here, now, there was a crowd of women waiting for the slightest show of affection or favour from their idol, like hounds waiting for their master to toss them a piece of meat they were ready to fight for. When one put it like that, Kagome supposed that it wasn't really how anyone would like to be loved, but still…

Meanwhile, Kuronue had enough time to draw some conclusions from his observations of the priestess up till that point. One, she possessed a level of selflessness that was highly uncustomary in Makai. Two, she was in dire need of learning some tricks for maintaining control over her spitfire side. And three, when one managed to see past her personality, it became obvious that she harboured affections for Youko, though their exact nature was not completely clear.

The bat demon wasn't actually certain what Youko was aiming for at the moment. Those feelings of Kagome's could be exploited as a means of gaining her complete trust, but on the other hand, there had been… _something_… different about Youko the moment he had brought the priestess to the village and voiced his instructions. Nothing too obvious, for instance, like passion in his voice would be, but a certain… radiance, barely noticed by those who didn't look for it, like when someone suddenly realized that they could see because the sun was shining.

It had been the first time the kitsune had not brooded over whatever hypothetical miscalculations he might have made in his former plans, despite the escape of one of his targets.

"But then why is this allowed?" Kagome asked, with the hint of a demand, bringing Kuronue back to reality. Amusingly, she wasn't at all concerned about where she stood in all this. "This petty squabble among them could cause more trouble than it's worth."

"You don't see the beauty of it. Things couldn't be more perfect. The fact that they can only strike out verbally means that they keep each other completely in check. As long as Kurama doesn't actually start to favor a particular one in any way, they can do nothing," Kuronue noted, looking pleased by the fact. "None of them can actually make any kind of open move or protest. The wiser ones eventually realize that and move on with their lives. For the others, that's the stalemate they live in. Or it was, until you came into the picture."

"I really don't get why they can even think of believing that I'm a threat to their schemes."

"The very fact that you are female is enough reason for them to draw conclusions. Moreover, Kurama saved your life and offered you shelter. Do you really think he ever did such things for them?" Kuronue asked simply, his face contemplative this time. "It's natural that you're a threat to the status quo."

With each word, Kagome felt her face burn more. She realized that she had, in a way, taken these things almost for granted, considering their alliance. But if Youko hadn't done anything of the sort for people he had known for centuries, perhaps, people he had been allied with for far longer than he had known her, questions rose in her inquisitive mind. Why was he doing this? Why was he going out of his way to help her, when seeing her off to Reikai without ever letting the vultures circling him know a thing would have sufficed? Why was he threatening the harmony he himself had likely created… for her sake?

Something within her glowed warmly at that idea, but it wasn't able to shine through the shame, doubt, and, ultimately, logic that darkened it. There she was, becoming delusional herself.

"The youkai King of Thieves and the reigen Shikon no miko, getting together?" She had to say it out loud, each word drenched in scepticism, to realize just how surreal it sounded.

Kuronue considered the certain improbabilities it might involve, but he also understood how brilliant an idea it could actually be in the end. With their abilities combined, there wouldn't be a creature in all of Makai that wouldn't know and fear them. Still, Kagome had a point.

"It does seem like a thing likely to happen on the day when the Makai Lords decide to put aside their differences and have a tea party," The priestess managed the faintest laugh at that remark, "but you have to consider it from their point of view."

"I guess what counts here is being female and having useful power?"

The bat youkai nodded. "Hit the mark. So don't count on making friends among them."

She hadn't really been thinking of that, but Kagome gave a nod nonetheless. "All right, I'll remember that."

"One more thing – try to avoid too many one-sided shouting matches with Youko." Kuronue warned, "He probably doesn't mind the verbal sparring, but standing up to him like that makes it seem that he allows it, hence makes it seem like you receive special treatment beyond that of a guest."

"And we're back to the impending catfight issue you guys are dealing with." Kagome concluded, almost sighing inwardly.

And she had thought that life would be relatively simple for someone like Youko. She didn't even want to imagine what it had to feel like to be circled by a horde of power-hungry females. Probably like being in the middle of a ring of fire – it was seemingly possible to pass through an opening at a time, but then, the flames rose again, higher than before, when one tried that route.

The bat youkai gave a nod. "Pretty much."

X X X X X

"I need to speak with you… please."

It was the first time she had entered Youko's quarters in the village and, all-in-all, Kagome was impressed. The neat organization of the cabinets and objects would have left the Reikai palace in deep envy, with its chaotic ogres and the yelling Koenma…

Youko himself was in the process of examining a map. His face, filled with concentration, lightened up a bit when looking at the priestess, though it could have been an illusion. Perhaps Kagome had only been hoping for it… or perhaps she was under the influence of what she had overheard from the demon females. Was the wild imagination taking the best of her?

"Kagome? You can sit down, you know." She gave a startled little jerk at the sound of his voice. Compared to the commanding tones he had used on his underlings…

Youko watched the priestess sit down on the nearest chair, almost like a little schoolgirl anxiously awaiting her grade. Truthfully, he had been avoiding her for the past few days not only because strategy required it, but also because facing her would mean… would mean seeing the failure in his plan again. It was crashing around his ears spectacularly. One opportunity and then another… and he ignored it. The reason for that eluded him. It couldn't be simply her presence; no one had succeeded in mellowing him in centuries.

Then why didn't he seize the chance and strike her down? Why didn't he prove that she was nothing but a means to an end? Not knowing the answer to a puzzle he didn't have the will to crack was… indescribable. Frustrating and tempting and horrible and wonderful and….

The deep breath before the plunge, the calm before the storm.

"Ask whatever you need to know." Strange how easy it was to be sincere when speaking to her. Horribly peculiar and unnatural and yet…

Kagome shifted in her chair slightly. "I…" But Youko already saw in her face that she didn't know why she had come. She didn't know what she intended to ask. "What's going to happen?"

That confused him. "Pardon?"

"What's going to happen after this ends?" the priestess clarified. "After Naraku is dead? What will become of…?" She couldn't bring herself to say the world. It would embody the thing she dreaded above all else and destroy her.

The kitsune frowned slightly. That was unexpected. Asking such a question….

"We go our separate ways. That is the likeliest turn of events." he noted after a long pause, studying her expression. Why was she asking this? Why did she want to know?

"So we just… pretend that nothing ever happened. We will be enemies again."

"Kagome." Her name. Did enemies address each other with a caress of a tone? "You're still my enemy tonight." Youko said, a strangely nostalgic smile appearing on his face. how easy it was to be sincere… "But even enemies can respect each other."

Respect… an alliance out of convenience… out of necessity…

_Oh he's a _major_ distraction…_

_I'll just pretend his eyes weren't making love to her face!_

_He saved your life and offered you shelter… do you think he did as much for them?_

"Enemies." An accursed word. She spoke it with a tone that said that she understood. And then, abruptly, she stood up, as if something had snapped in her. "Enemies. After all… It's just game. Isn't it?"_ Isn't it?!_

"Kagome…" What was he to tell her? She was right on both accounts. But she was wrong, utterly wrong as well. "I do not wish your death."

Not anymore. Not ever.

The priestess looked up, bewildered. And then, out of the blue, she laughed, a merry but morose sound, as if she wanted to cry but couldn't, not in front of him. She didn't want to be weak in front of him.

"I believe that's the nicest thing you ever said to me." she said, with a momentary cheerfulness. She forgot, for a split-second, that he had told her the brutal truth of the matter.

Nice. Not exactly a word anyone had ever used to describe him. But then again, her surprising him didn't surprise him any longer. "Live, Kagome. Death neither creates nor gives – it only takes."

"Like you?"

Did it hurt? No… "Yes, like me." Youko said with a grim smile.

The priestess nodded. "But you see, have already died once… which is how I ended up where I am."

"Then I correct myself." Kagome raised her eyebrows. "It seems death _does_ give something to others."

"What?"

He didn't answer that question. It would have taken a lifetime. "Green." he said instead.

"Pardon?" Now Kagome was confused.

"Green is my favourite colour." the kitsune clarified, referring to a question she had posed what seemed years ago. The colour in which the priestess was clad from head to toe.

And, some hundreds of meters away, Kuronue, who already knew that and connected the puzzle pieces with more precision, thanks to his distance to the situation, realized that a storm was brewing.


	22. Spinning the web

Another chapter? What the hell…? Is this a Halloween treat? An early Christmas present? Or just a lack of writer's block? Nope – it's that I have loads of material prepared and so I can use it quickly. This is the last of these quick updates – no more tomorrow or the day after that. this means I've hereby earned at least two weeks of freedom. W00t!

The scene from the last chapter continues!

PS: You didn't really expect them to get all warm and fuzzy and mushy on each other right away, did you?

X X X

**Spinning the web**

X X X X X

"Love is a perky elf dancing a merry little jig and then suddenly he turns on you with a miniature machine gun."

- Matt Groening

X X X X X

"That's it?"

The kitsune blinked. In a moment, Kagome's expression had changed; right now, it looked more like she was a bit disappointed, a bit frustrated and a bit astonished at the same time, while handling all of those things with laughter.

"You'll need to elaborate your query, Kagome." he said with a levelled expression.

And then, like a sudden and brief fall of rain, the priestess laughed – actually laughed – and the sound filled the room, for the first and likely last time. And it was like the rays of the sun; warm, light, welcoming… a sound of joy…

"I'm sorry." She said through laughs when she saw that Youko had raised an eyebrow and was looking at her in a way that suggested he doubted her sanity at the moment. "It's just that… after all that talk about enemies and death, you tell me your favourite colour?"

"I fail to understand what you find amusing."

Of course, he also failed to understand just why he had answered such a long-forgotten question and without hesitation. Perhaps it was because continuing in the discussion over life and death was somewhat depressing and didn't quite fit the priestess. After all, death wouldn't come to either of them and if it did, both had ways around it.

And Kagome laughed, as if she had figured out a puzzle that was outwardly utterly complicated, but the result was deceptively simple.

"You're so predictable." she said finally. The kitsune blinked. He wasn't quite certain that was a response he liked. He, predictable? "You never answer a question I pose to you directly. But when I lose interest in it or forget about it, you tell me the answer." It was so utterly predictable and so completely him that she had to laugh at it. In an attempt to get on her nerves again, he had actually illuminated part of his way of thinking.

It was a convenient way of putting it. "One truth isn't enough to know me."

A thousand truths wouldn't be enough, Kagome knew, but it didn't matter. "I know you." she said with a confidence that came from out of the blue. She didn't even know why she had said it.

"That's a bold statement to make." the kitsune said, eyebrows slightly raised. "What makes you think that?"

"Because we're enemies." the priestess said, feeling that saying that she didn't know would have been insultingly simple. "And you know what they say about friends and enemies." And so enemies are closer than friends, because the goal of one contradicts the goal of another, but their paths are united because they are so different yet bound to one another.

And it was the truth and Youko made no move to deny it. It was simple; in simplicity was logic. But such words of wisdom were unexpected from someone like the priestess. It occurred to him that she had likely spent a long time thinking of these things, of their relationship, of the reasons behind their words and actions.

"Kurama? You're zoning out on me." Kagome noted and automatically, her face shifted to concern. _Are you all right?_

He ignored the question, because just as being sincere around her was easy, lying to her was strangely difficult. Deceiving her was nothing. Lying to her was… "I don't zone out, Kagome. My attention was simply shifted to something of more importance."

The formerly dignified priestess shifted to her more natural personality; folding her arms, she gave a childish huff. "Fine, ignore me and feel free to talk to whatever figment of your imagination is so fascinating."

Unfortunately, it wasn't a figment of his imagination. "Have you formulated the question you intended to pose already? Or do you need a few more minutes to gather the correct words?"

Kagome's eyes narrowed. It was teasing and it would have worked much more thoroughly a month, a year ago. This time, it only served to remind her that she did know him and that he did know her better than they might admit.

"I don't want things to go as you said." she said, her voice accentuating the meaning. "I don't want that to happen. Let's continue as we are."

"As we are?" Now there was a ghost of a frown on his face.

"Yes. In a truce. As allies, even, perhaps…"

Was it a good sign that he was only repeating her words? Perhaps it was a sign that he was listening… or actually thinking about what she was saying! It seemed like the first time he had ever been the listener. The very first time she had ever surprised _him_ or given him food for thought. It was an unlikely occurrence, even unlikelier than the fact that he appeared to be truly thinking about it instead of dismissing the idea at once.

Then, slowly, a smirk-like grin appeared on his face. The kitsune remembered something she didn't and again, the priestess was faced with the impression of a predator circling its prey with that single smile.

"What would I get from it?" He didn't point out the cons, he didn't object to the idea… he posed a simple question.

But Kagome was prepared to answer it. It required a deep breath and a lot of determination. "I'll make you a deal."

"I'm all ears."

The priestess had a moment of struggle not to look at said ears, but managed to look down at her shoes with some difficulty. Though it was a strange fetish of hers, Youko didn't really mind. It was entertaining to watch her internal struggles.

"If you stop pursuing the Shikon no Tama, I can get Reikai off of your back."

Now that was one for the papers. Such a deal could very well be considered treason in Reikai, Youko thought to himself with a bit of doubt, but then again, he expected someone like the priestess to have special treatment… but to stop pursuing the Shikon no Tama? That would mean backing off from a challenge.

"No." he said simply.

"Why not?" Kagome frowned, a bit impatiently. As far as she was concerned, that was the deal of the century.

"Let's backtrack slightly. You said you wanted to remain in a truce."

"Right."

"Yet you want me to stop pursuing the Shikon no Tama after our current truce ends."

"Exactly!" Now what was difficult to understand about that?

Youko sighed slightly, perhaps for the first time in her presence. "Kagome, sometimes you are so completely illogical that it makes me wonder how such thoughts enter your head."

Something about the way he said it certainly wasn't complimentary.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Her voice was gaining a little steam; she really needed to learn to control her temper, Youko noted mentally. Whatever disagreement she had was supposed to turn into a hot debate, it seemed. And whatever fault there was in her words, she was adamant in her defence of the truth of her statement.

"The Shikon no Tama is the centre around which your existence revolves. It is interesting to me for reasons of material gain. That is the one thing that we have in common – interest in the Shikon no Tama. To stop pursuing it would need that I would have no further need to ever see you again." he explained patiently.

Kagome appeared astonished. "I offered you the closest thing to amnesty you could ever hope for in exchange for giving up one trinket among millions of others! How can you refuse?!"

A deep, surprised chuckle. The Shikon no Tama was a trinket now? An informal "pardon" from Reikai was an amnesty?

"You either overestimate or underestimate the value of things. Seldom do you ever hit the mark." he said calmly. "The favour of Reikai means nothing to me. The Shikon no Tama is a means to an end. All things are means to an end."

"Even me?" It was a demand, its tone showing that she already dreaded the answer.

He didn't hesitate even for a moment. "Yes, even you. I use you to get to Naraku and destroy him."

And it _stung_, Kagome realized, more than the thorns of his vines circling her flesh, more than wounds from battle… it stung because it was the truth and he didn't bother hiding it.

"That… that's so…." the priestess made a frustrated noise. "That's so… just so like you! So selfish! You think only of yourself!"

"Charity and goodness have no place in survival." the kitsune countered with an air of great dignity for someone of his profession. "To claim the contrary is hypocritical."

Kagome, who had been calm before, seemed to be seething with rage now. "You dare say that nothing has value other than gain? You judge the world only by your standards!"

"As do you. Wrong is whatever doesn't seem to be in accordance with your beliefs. There is no place for one such as you in Makai." Again, he was telling her the truth, the complete truth, which he never made a habit of.

Was she crying? Or perhaps her aura only seemed to be showing something of the sort, the image of tears of rage, of hatred for the words… of sadness. "Why are you saying these things to me?"

"Because I want you to see who I am." Youko said simply.

_Because I want you to stop acting this way. Because I need-want-have to resent you a little bit to maintain equilibrium. _

_Because I cannot _have_ you and therefore don't _want_ to have you… _

Those were frightening thoughts.

Without mercy was the truth. Without softening the blow through kindness. But the statement itself was vibrating with some hidden intent. It was a test of some kind, though Kagome didn't realize it. It was the unlikeliest statement he could ever have made. But as all he told her, there was no lie in it. What would she do once she would see the darker side of him? Would this finally break her kindness and make her understand that she _couldn't _and _wouldn't_ change….

That it was not possible for a single creature to have such an impact.

But she wasn't ready to face such truths, such realities and struggled to get away, shaking her head fervently. Wake up! Wake up!

And then, a touch, a grip of silk on her wrist, pulling her back to the place from whence she attempted to childishly flee. The motion awoke her to what she had never noticed before.

Nothing happened.

This time, she had the jewel with her, most certainly, and thus it was supposed to prevent such contact from even occurring, but nothing happened. She stared at his hand, which was gripping her wrist rather uncomfortably, but that was hardly the cause of her alarm. The jewel was supposed to repel any kind of impure intentions when in her possession, contact including; yet here she was, a high-class demon had her right hand in a death grip and nothing was happening. Which meant…

The priestess yanked her hand free with a petrified expression. This had never happened before… this wasn't _supposed_ to happen! She couldn't figure out why it had indeed happened and that frightened her. If there had ever been a moment when she felt fear at the sight of the fox demon, it was now, but it was different than the fear one felt when their life was being threatened.

Stumbling back a few steps, she ran out of the room as if all the demons in Makai were chasing her and didn't stop until she was in her own temporary residence.

Back in his chambers, Youko remained watching the exit for a few seconds, resembling a flawless statue more than ever. It had been expected and unpredicted and so very unnatural and… it hadn't felt right or wrong, it had just _felt_, for all it was worth. And that was enough. And it would do for forever, because he knew very well that nothing of the sort would ever be repeated, if either of them had a say in it. For such a frustrating, childish and frivolous creature to be thoroughly imperfect and still move him when perfection didn't.

But then again, perhaps he had always simply had a taste for the forbidden, for the unusual, for the unreachable. But it was within his reach, this time, if he didn't break her first. And this time, he had come dangerously close to doing so. Breaking her would be definite and eternal, but without splendour. And then, all that was left would be silence.

In her room, Kagome froze, examining the jewel. It was as pure as ever, as if nothing had even happened. But she was certain that something… no.

No. No, no, no, no!

With sudden frustration, she smashed her fist against the nearest wall, which, in retrospect, wasn't the brightest idea, but at least the pain distracted her from the stunningly stupid assumption. No, that wasn't possible.

She took a few deep breaths to calm herself, but her frustration only built up. The only possibility was that the intention of the contact was not impure, but that was silly beyond anything she had ever thought, as demons were impure by nature of their existence from the Shinto point of view.

But she couldn't have _allowed_ the contact to happen – and even if she had, she would have been unable to stop the jewel from zapping his hand. Yet it didn't and that could only mean that the _jewel_ allowed it to happen, for some reason. She gave the precious gemstone a somewhat dark look. What was it trying to do? Was this the dark will of the jewel she had heard of? Because it was doing nothing to help her maintain a peaceful mindset alone in a village full of cutthroat demons led by a nerve-wrecking kitsune who had yet to reveal his true cards. It made her strangely sad, though she was about to give the wall another solid punch.

"What did the poor wall do to you?" a vaguely familiar voice asked some time later, when she began to meditate to calm herself and didn't succeed at all – thus giving the wall another punch and hurting her knuckles in the process. Kuronue was leaning against the doorframe and Kagome had yet another reason to berate herself, as she didn't even sense him coming, much less hear him open the door. "Just don't aim that fist at me, will you?" he suggested when she remained frozen in place.

The priestess willed tension to leave her body and tried to put on her composed face. "I'm using the wall as a scapegoat, so that I don't enter a fistfight I know I can't win without purifying my opponent. That said; do you need something?"

The bat youkai gave a half-hearted chuckle, inviting himself into the room. "Yes, in fact – I'm supposed to ask you to cool down a bit and maybe see what's wrong. Some of the men nearby are getting slightly nervous about the amount of energy you're currently emitting." he added as an explanation, but he didn't seem too worried. "You know demons can get a bit paranoid about surges of holy energy."

"Is that a face-saving way of asking me if I'm okay?" Kagome asked, folding her arms in a weary manner. But at least the retracted the punch-ready fist.

"That depends on your point of view, I guess, but if you're in the mood to share…" Kuronue shrugged and sat down in the nearest chair, again without invitation, but the priestess refused to be bothered. She was getting used to demons having a whole different etiquette, if it could be called that. Besides, she had endured worse teasing.

However… "Do I look like I'm in such a mood?" she asked, rather friskily.

Somehow, youkai had a knack for throwing smirk-like grins when the recipient was most annoyed. "My, my, miko-sama, temper. Well, I could guess instead and say it for you – there aren't many options to choose from. But try to take it easy. The frustration might just be mutual, you know."

Now that caught her attention. "Frustration? What do you mean?"

"So you haven't wondered why you're on the receiving end of the cold shoulder of every female here and the majority of the males turns tail and runs at first sight of you?" Finally, Kuronue allowed himself a small chuckle upon seeing her rather puzzled face. Of course she wouldn't notice or be too bothered by it. Aside from being a priestess, which alone was explanation enough for her blindness, her entire attention was focused on only one thing. That narrowed down her view even less. "I thought you had pieced it together from what I told you. Can't you guess?"

Kagome's eyes narrowed and something told her that her fist was itching for a good punch. "I don't know. I thought it was because of my purification powers. Demons tend to be jittery about that when they know what I can do to them." And the jealousy… jealousy without a reason… without….

"Partially but not quite correct." He was enjoying this too much and her expression would likely be priceless when he would correct her. Somehow, he decided that she deserved to know, because she would eventually find out and the later she did, the worse it would be. "You see – or don't, more like it – despite or because of the way Kurama has been treating you to suggest otherwise, they are getting the impression that," There was no way of saying this mildly, but he had slight doubts about the safety of telling her directly. "Well, that you're..."

"That I'm what?" the priestess asked carefully, but with a slight air of impatience.

Kuronue gave a sheepish smile, hoping that her reaction wouldn't involve an uncontrolled blast of holy powers. Breaking such an obvious thing to such a blissfully oblivious female was far more difficult than he had thought. He had no idea what had happened between Youko and her moments ago or how completely she had missed the entire point of it.

"From a demon's point of view… despite all evidence to the contrary, it's easy to assume that you're Kurama's chosen mate."

The resulting "WHAT?!" caused most of the creatures sitting in the trees within ten meters of the room to hurry away with fear. Inside the room, the bat demon cringed slightly, but when no purification of any kind followed, resumed his amused and slightly apologetic expression. Kagome's eyes reached the size of tennis balls – not that either of them knew what tennis was – and she looked as if she had choked on something extremely unpleasant.

A predictable reaction, though certainly not one most females would have upon hearing such news.

"Calm down, calm down, it's just the impression they get, it doesn't mean anything!" the bat demon explained while Kagome freaked out in a rather frightening manner. "I'm certain Kurama is just letting them think that to prevent unnecessary conflicts."

Kagome, who had calmed down slightly, fired up once more. "He's _letting _them think that?!" she screamed, putting many a banshee to shame. "You mean he _knows_ about this and doesn't move a finger to put a stop to it?!"

Kuronue wasn't certain whether to be very intimidated or highly amused, but he didn't get the chance to even attempt to calm her again, as the priestess abruptly stormed out of the room, her destination clear. Somehow, she was faster when she was angry and even the bat demon didn't manage to catch up with her until it was too late – he was by then certain that one of them was going to die that day.

Youko was already sitting on his currently favourite branch and reading some scroll or another with a mildly interested expression. He acknowledged Kagome's barging in with only a brief averting of his eyes from the text before returning his attention to it. "You wanted something?" he asked politely, but not politely enough in Kagome's opinion.

"Yoooouuu!" she hollered, pointing an accusing finger at the kitsune, who didn't give any visible physical reaction.

In fact, his voice sounded fabulously disinterested in the sudden random intrusion. Considering the circumstances of their parting some time ago, it was unsurprising. "Yes, me. Have you come to only practice your pronouns?" Kuronue, who caught up, actually admired both their nerves. Youko's, because Kagome seemed ready to explode and Kagome's, because she ignored the warning tone she had been addressed with.

"You knew about this foolishness and didn't put a stop to it!" the priestess yelled, still not backing off, even when the fox demon raised an eyebrow, finally looking at her.

"Close the door if you insist on staying, Kuronue." Youko noted to his friend, who did as asked while the kitsune carefully returned the scroll to its original place and focused his attention on the fuming priestess. "Now, if you insist on damaging my eardrums yet again, might I ask what foolishness was I supposed to stop before you build up steam?"

Kagome's eyes narrowed, but she didn't take the bait this time. "Kuronue has just told me that all this time I've been here every demon within a two mile radius has believed that you and I are planning on having a bunch of hybrid fox hanyou children together!" The aforementioned bat youkai almost cringed and laughed at the same time, one nullifying the other, fortunately. That was the mild way of putting it, really, but Kagome was clearly too much of an innocent to even think beyond what she had said herself.

The kitsune didn't even flinch, but gave Kuronue a brief glance that clearly said that that the wisdom in this revelation was questionable, to say the least. The priestess didn't notice it and remained standing where she was, though it was impossible to tell whether she was seething with rage or thoroughly embarrassed. Perhaps both.

"And you are troubled by this?"

Kagome had the strong suspicion that he was enjoying toying with her. Momentarily, she wished that she had forsaken her bow and arrows and settled for a more to-the-point weapon, like a mace or a war hammer, all those centuries ago. Then again, it wasn't too late to start training with blunt weaponry.

"Do I look troubled to you?!" she half-yelled, half-shrieked. "You do realize that it's complete folly?"

"Yes, your current reaction could be called that." Youko admitted, sliding off the branch and taking a few steps towards the priestess. "Especially as there is no call for it. In fact, gratitude would be more appropriate."

"Gratitude?" _That_ did it. "I thought you knew me better than to assume I'd be grateful for something like that! Have you been taking lessons from Kouga or something?" Kuronue, who had been standing in the background for most of the time, was a bit lost at this point, soon assumed that something like this had happened to her before, only for real that time. "Because then you should know that this isn't the best strategy around me for _any_ reason!"

Youko's expression was slightly harder, but it didn't cross the border to anger. "Your unfortunate squeamishness on the matter is noted and dismissed." The priestess looked somewhat scandalized, but didn't get a chance to speak. "Be happy that they believe the most simple-minded alternative. You would not have a moment of peace if they believed otherwise and not only because of the jewel."

Kagome actually froze in place, though it was doubtful whether she had realized that he had a point or because she was simply unsure what to say next that would be equally logical to defend her cause.

"You… are the single most… condescending… arrogant… high-handed person I have ever had the misfortune to meet!" she began slowly, as if fishing for words, but the most daring part of the feat was that she actually raised an accusing finger at the kitsune as she spoke and took a step closer with each word, without the slightest display of fear, until they were less than two feet apart.

In the background, the forgotten Kuronue was deliberating whether or not to make his exit before things would get ugly. Knowing Youko, he would hardly fly off the handle even after such an accusation, but there was still the possibility of it, as no one in living memory had dared speak to the famed fox thief like this. Kagome would likely explode no matter what reaction she would receive now, but something told him to stay – hopefully, that would stop things from getting severely ugly.

"You'll get caught in your own web of lies and deception one day," the priestess continued, close enough to try and poke Youko's eye out at point-blank range. "and then, when everything comes crashing down around your ears," It took a great amount of willpower not to actually spare said ears a glance, but that would have undermined her whole conviction. "you might finally understand that honesty with your allies can get you more loyalty than deception! And you know, I don't think I actually care what you want your horde to believe. But you could have at least told me that you wanted to do this!"

The kitsune's expression was as icy as ever, once more giving room for the illusion of a statue too perfect to be real. He was listening to every word, though none was to his liking. His face showed no trace of amusement, which was true about his mood as well. But what was most irritating about the whole display of absurd beliefs was that it was clear on Kagome's face that she believed completely in what she was saying, to the letter. It was only with those last sentences that her meaning was actually different and somewhat more selfish – she was angry because she hadn't been informed of every single detail of a scheme that had been devised to keep her from harm.

It was hypocritical and entirely ungrateful. That had to be a female trait.

"Are you quite finished?" he asked, his tone sharper than before, which was quite an achievement, and Kagome would have flinched if she wasn't so enraged.

"Actually, I am!" Another clearly female trait was that, without actually finishing her point, she turned on her heel after one last glare and stormed out of the room.

Some minutes later, she realized that her anger had been a bad thing and that the outburst had been slightly too much. But before that, she seethed for a while until deciding that she was in dire need of some meditation to calm herself.

In the meantime, Youko spent only a few seconds sending her retreating form a cool glare before moving to retrieve his scroll without as much as a word. Kuronue, who had narrowly avoided having the enraged priestess crashing into him, stepped out of the shadows at long last, studying the fox demon for a moment.

"If you want my opinion…"

"I will ask for it, should I want it." the kitsune interrupted, slightly dismissively.

Kuronue shook his head in mild disbelief. Ever since the priestess had arrived, things had been rather different than usual, but this was unexpected behavior when coming from Youko. He hadn't even bothered with a retort that would remind the reigen that she was in their territory, thus it wasn't really her place to state conditions or make unreasonable demands.

"I don't recognize you."

Sharply, abruptly, Youko's eyes almost stabbed into the bat demon's. "What do you mean?"

"You know very well what I mean, Kurama. But in case you weren't paying attention, I'll summarize it to you." Kuronue frowned mildly. It had taken him some time to come to the conclusion he was about to voice, but he had known Youko long enough to be able to back it up with evidence. "The miko questioned the rightness of your decision. That would have been tolerable from her, but anyone else that would speak to you in that manner would be looking at their own ripped-out tongue right about now."

"I hardly think harming her is the proper way of gaining her trust, Kuronue." Youko said dismissively, ready to return to his reading.

"And you wanted to do that to get the jewel from her. But don't you see, the jewel is within our reach now! She is here, alone and with the jewel. We'd lose some men, but she's not invincible – we could overpower her."

"You underestimate her."

"Perhaps my view of her is more accurate than yours."

Finally, the kitsune's sharp eyes narrowed in a not very pleasant manner. It was a signal to watch one's tongue, clearly, because they might not have it much longer. "You know you're allowed to annoy me only because I have no one up to the task of replacing you. But if you keep this up, I might reconsider that." The implication was laughable; or would have been, a week ago.

But Kuronue didn't back down – not when he had reason to be concerned. Youko, for all his threats, was still a friend, before anything else. "Don't you see that this is why everyone so readily assumes that you want to mate the reigen? Granted, perhaps they are overconfident in their own powers should they ever fight her, but in their minds, you would be able to at least outsmart her. Yet all you seem to be intent on doing is quite the opposite – you protect her. You actually help her."

"Risking things on one long shot is not my style and you know it." The kitsune's tone signalled that this was the end of this discussion and only those who had no wish for their body parts to remain fully intact was to speak of it again. "I plan ahead and she is still useful to me. That is all."

"Really?" the bat demon drawled the question a bit lazily, much to Youko's irritation.

"She lacks the mindset and I the masochistic streak. If that isn't answer enough for you, I suggest you deal with it."

Surprisingly, several hours later, Kuronue was singing a very different tune, having arrived for the usual strategic meeting with a plate of food in hand, receiving a surprised and the tiniest bit amused glance from Youko instead of a greeting. It was highly uncustomary for the bat youkai to bring food with him to their meetings, especially as it was somewhat past dinnertime, even in the village. Moreover, one look at the dish showed that no one he knew could have possibly prepared it, as it looked too neat.

"I've changed my mind, so forget what I said about attacking Kagome." Kuronue said, throwing himself into the nearest chair, his glance too affectionate for someone staring at a plate of food. "In fact, you know what? I think you _should_ mate her. I'm positively certain of that. Go for it. You have my blessings."

Youko blinked, slightly stunned, but then understood. "I'm assuming she prepared that food." Perhaps he had misjudged her culinary skills after all. At least it wasn't fish this time.

Kuronue nodded in-between bites. Apparently, Kagome had a strange way of beating out her frustrations and cooking was the way to go in her case. "She's still making some more, I think, because word spread rather quickly. I had no idea they taught people to cook this well in Reikai, you know." He said, enjoying the last remains of his meal. "But anyway, I don't think anyone will be averse to having her here after this. And if you don't mate her, I think she won't be lacking in offers anytime soon."

The kitsune gave a small, bitter grin. "Love passes through the stomach, then?"

"Something like that."


	23. Shards of dreams

Long time, no chapter! But I'm having loads of tests now! College isn't that easy, you know! But received a wonderful fanart from amethyst-rose: amethyst-rose. deviantart. com/art / From-Wishes-to-Eternity-70251967 Just remove the spaces, please!

And now, presenting the newest chapter, one that KagKur fans are bound to like! Yay for KagKur-ness!

Song courtesy of a Czech singer I rather like, it's got a wonderful melody – the refrain repeats itself thrice, so I altered the translation to make it more poem-like. It's as close to a translation into English as I could get and I rather think it fits the chapter. Enjoy!

X X X

**Shards of dreams**

X X X X X

In my dreams just yesterday  
What good can such dreams bring?  
Though he must be far away  
I was faced with the king

He said: "I despair, my dearest,  
But a ruse was all my pride  
If my plea for love thou hearest  
For you my throne I'd cast aside

I walk through the world of day  
As if it were night  
There are no words I could say  
The king remains my plight

He said: "Loved one mine, I languish,  
Dost thou leave me here to sigh?  
You alone can end my anguish  
Yours is all that I call mine."

"Divine maiden, I implore thee,  
No more love for thou I hide  
All I am I lay before thee  
Please become my holy bride."

X X X X X

"And so the 'queen' falls." A failed snicker.

Sneering, but there was something empty in it. "She's actually trying to bribe the scum?" That being those that gladly came to the priestess for the food she was preparing – children, even some of those who had realized that the food wasn't a feeble attempt at a poison. "Pathetic."

Another of the demon women wrinkled her pretty nose with distaste. "She's playing the saint, as if she was some holy matron!"

"I don't know, her food's pretty good." A younger, more naïve girl piped up. "Weird, but good weird."

The rest of the "harem" women tried to unsuccessfully kill her with their glares of death. Of course, they were talking about Kagome – their only conversation topic for the past few days. The priestess was literally the talk of the village. Of course everyone could feel her every step, but it wasn't just her presence that was so interesting. It was how all seemed to have changed quickly. For the first few days of her stay, it seemed that the priestess was distanced – no doubt through Youko's influence – from the demonic residents of the village, to prevent any possible conflicts.

Not that anyone wished to face purification, mind you, but they all heeded the warning.

"I'm just saying that her food is good. Besides, I think she's acting more like a nurse than anything."

"Oh, she makes the pain go away, along with your limbs."

Hissing. Why hadn't _they_ thought about it?! "It's a low strategy."

"But I haven't seen her with Kurama-sama once! And come to think about it, whenever I've seen her, Kuronue was with her."

"Do you think he's up to something?"

"Maybe she's realized she has no chance and is aiming for the next best thing."

"Not everyone is like you, dearie."

"Oh, har, har. Just so you turn green, _I _spoke with Kurama-sama today and he_ thanked_ me for my concerns."

"In that calm, indifferent tone of his?"

"The tone doesn't matter! It is the _meaning_ that is important!"

"Politeness has no deeper meaning, Karin. It's meant to be the shallow surface, a shield against the annoying."

"You know Wattan, right now, I actually _hope_ he's really going to mate the reigen, just to see the look on your face when it happens! Then you won't be acting so high and mighty!"

But now, the priestess was in the midst of her new daily routine, which involved a number of particularly peculiar things for one such as her. At least from the point of her observers, who hadn't left her unwatched for any of her waking moments. Kagome was aware of the eyes upon her, but she was too stubborn to do anything but ignore it with an unnaturally calm manner. After all, there was nothing to discuss with those women. She understood the reasons for their jealousy and hatred, though she found them ridiculous. She understood the wariness that had settled over the village.

Inside, she wanted to scream. Inside, the image of _him_ persisted, saying those cruel words, though she remembered mostly only that their meaning conflicted with what she was supposed to believe in dramatically. Again, she had lost her calm around him. She had yelled; she had been the epitome of all that she was not supposed to be. And aside from that, she didn't feel sorry about what she had said. She believed that she was right, like a follower of a passionate crusade and had clashed with him as if she had a chance to change him.

Did she even have the right? Of course she did! Goodness, while eternally difficult, had to be preserved and treasured, even in a world full of strife and darkness. Even if there was no chance for change…

But there was something new within her, something that had awoken only recently; a strong force that cast doubt into her mind. That power was quietly telling her that she had neither right nor reason to attempt to turn the kitsune into something he was not, a hollow shell of the creature she had come to… to…

Kagome shuddered, but not from disgust or distaste. The very thought of finishing that sentence was terrifying. Strange, when all around her were prone to the impression that it was exactly what was going to happen. But she didn't know how to love – she didn't know what love felt like. There, she had said it… thought it. The only kind of love she knew was that for a friend, what she felt for Sango, Miroku, Kirara, Botan, Kouga, both Ayames, Koenma and even that poor abused ogre, George. Youko…?

Well, to start, they certainly weren't friends. That would imply some kind of harmony between them and as far as she saw it, he had been right in one thing – their only common interest was the jewel. There was too much fire and explosions in their relationships. And, by any standards, they were supposed to be at each other's throats when Naraku was eliminated.

Her daily routine consisted of a number of chores that should serve to divert her attention from her host, whom she had stubbornly avoided since their one-sided shouting match a week ago. She got up and dressed herself, meditated (often scaring the hell out of many a demon) and then proceeded to prepare food or bandage the wounds of injured demons. The first time she had offered to do this had almost caused her to laugh a bit at the shocked expressions on her "patient's" face. They had obviously expected her to attempt to use her powers. That, of course, would have had the exact opposite effect. But Kagome was a priestess in every sense of the word – though it had been some time since she had properly practiced dressing a wound.

The demon children she had finally spotted on the fifth day of her stay would carefully watch from a distance and once it was determined that she actually didn't mean anyone harm, they would watch her prepare food and quietly steal a piece or two when she wasn't looking. It was actually somewhat of a practice against pickpockets, because, as they were quite a group, the priestess eventually noticed it. Then, they gathered the courage to actually approach her for the food, though it had been very worrying to see the poor little demon that had lost when they had been choosing who to send stutter out the question.

Kindness was not natural to demons, clearly.

Then, there were the "harem" women. She pitied them, in a way, but the new side of her seemed to seethe with rage whenever she caught a glimpse of their arrogant faces. They had taken to dressing themselves in fine clothes and paint their faces, which she hadn't noticed before, as the villagers tried to be practical in all aspects of their life, including clothing. Kagome wore the one outfit she had been given, until Kuronue brought her a bundle of clothing one day. The red hakama were hers, she recognized them, but the haori wasn't nearly as coarse as the one she had worn; it seemed to be made of fine fabrics, perhaps even silk.

"If it's a peacemaking gift, I don't want it." she said resolutely upon examining it. A warning in her eyes; she _wanted_ to remain angry. If she was angry, she had a reason not to speculate the possible outcomes of her possibly soon-to-be-ended relationship with Youko, the fact that everyone in the village save for the two of them and Kuronue were more or less firm believers of her "chosen" status.

The bat demon unsuccessfully tried to refrain from a slight grin-like grimace. "I'm afraid not, Kagome-sama," He always called her that, a teasing edge to his voice. "but be certain that there are some that want to repay you for your help." And he never said who, though the number of those she had attempted to aid by healing – they possessed no proper healer that thoroughly understood the craft – or any other means.

Of course, the harem wasn't the only group watching her with keen interest. Not everyone was glad she was present, but the general hostility had evaporated somewhat, even though the wariness remained. It was the deep breath before the plunge; something grand was about to happen, no matter what anyone might claim.

And each day, at least for a few seconds at a time, Youko's eyes found the face of the priestess somewhere, always working, always looking down, but with resolution. How naïve her beliefs, yet how strong her will. She was a living paradox, a warrior with kindness, a slayer with mercy, a pacifist who had killed perhaps as many as he himself had. She could have been so much more, under different circumstances…

But wasn't it the crack that made the otherwise perfect vase all the more beautiful, because it was a familiar crack? And she was close to breaking, even though she herself didn't sense it. One more step and she would be a priestess no more, because one couldn't cling to the beliefs of a saint after seeing the cruelty of the world to its full extent.

The fundamental difference between the two of them was not that they were not of the same race; it was that while Kagome stubbornly refused to see, he was already debating what to do with the discovery. It was a simple matter, really, almost laughably so, and, moreover, the foundations had already been laid. There was nothing stopping him from taking the next step, whether it would lead to ruin or to prosperity.

He_ wanted_ her. It was as simple as that, but the meaning behind it was much more complex. It was not purely a physical feeling, but it wasn't as pure as a spiritual desire. Both, intermingled so closely without any means of discerning which was which. He wanted to see her accept his point of view but at the same time, flawed as her views were, he wanted her to remain as she was, the essence of a tempest in a shell of serenity.

Madness. But the longer he knew her, the more wonderfully flawed she seemed, beautiful and kind and naïve and pure.

After all that he had done in his life, he was not one for moral dilemmas. Of course it might be upsetting to the balance of his existence somewhat, but his planning had dealt with worse problems before. And Kagome was nothing if not a problem. In fact, she was a walking catastrophe from one point of view, a beautiful disaster that would do more than keep him entertained for perhaps an eternity. His problem was entirely different.

It was that he wanted her to _want_ this as well, to cast her blindness or unwillingness to see aside. And that conflicted with the essence of who she was, who both of them were. She was a priestess of the highest order; he was a demon of considerable power. She was of the spirit world, where he didn't intend to set foot in for quite some time; he of the demon world, where she could scarcely survive without altering her way of thinking.

Puzzles without solutions didn't exist. Except for her; whenever he had her figured out, the variable changed suddenly. A tempest. A delicate frown creased his brow. He hated when Kuronue was right about something and would doubtless have a chance to gloat in the near future.

A high-pitched female voice calling out "Kurama-sama!" was the first thing to make Kagome raise her head from her work in a long time. She didn't see that the fox demon had been looking at her for quite some time from a ledge much higher than the large platform she was on, only that he was facing a demoness in a long, garish orange kimono with flowery embroidery. His expression was hidden from her view, but the simpering laugh she heard even from the distance between them was enough to cause her upper lip to curl up in distaste.

"Careful or your face will stay like that."

Of course, Kuronue just _had_ to come at that precise second. Kagome shot him a glare; he was another one who really needed to ease the unsubtle teasing. She had a suspicion that maybe there was a school for demons where they learned how to properly push another's buttons verbally, but then she concluded that not many were sophisticated enough for that. It was likely only a result of prolonged exposure to Youko's company.

She decided that now was just the right moment to change the subject before the bat demon would have time to say _anything_, because whatever he had to say couldn't be good.

"Coming for seconds?" she asked, holding up the half-empty pot of today's food.

"Partly." Kuronue said in a most good-natured tone, grinning broadly to assure Kagome that he saw everything and intended to prod her a bit later on. For now, he was letting her squirm. "Always looking for a chat with everyone's favourite holy chef."

"It's a good stress-reliever. You get to chop things without killing anything. You could try it sometimes." the priestess said, returning to her ingredients. How quickly most of the food was gone; she had to be getting good, she realized with a little bit of pride. It was nice to be appreciated.

"I'll pass this time. You could try extending the holiness to other parts of your repertoire."

A brief half-hearted glare. But there was truth behind those words; ever since meeting Youko, she had been less and less priestess-like in her behavior, as if she had arrived to the real world from some sheltered, distant place and had her eyes opened. "I've been teased by professionals; your stabs won't get a rise out of me." she noted solemnly.

The bat demon faked a hurt expression with theatrical precision. "Well, that's a change."

"Look, the matter is settled. I'm living up to my end of the bargain. That doesn't mean I have to live up to the expectations of those… those women." Perhaps she was being paranoid, but at times, she almost thought that Kuronue _wanted_ her to start deluding herself that Youko and her… foolishness. "I'm keeping the peace."

Keeping the peace; keeping the distance.

"And you're happy with that?" Kagome hadn't been expecting such a question. All the theatrics were gone; there was something sincere, perhaps even intimate in the query and when she looked up, she saw that Kuronue was being serious.

"What are you getting at?" she asked slowly. "I'm a miko. Of course I'm happy now."

Shrine maiden. Love everyone unconditionally by feeling compassion for them. Repeating it over and over, to herself, to the image of him in her mind, shouting it out from the top of her lungs… but only inwardly. Whatever was happening to her was wrong, unnatural… doubt had no place in her mind.

He didn't believe her; even she saw it. She had never been anything more than a poor liar.

"As long as you know what you really want." Kuronue said; then, as if a scene had been cut, his expression returned to the usual cheerfulness. The moment had passed, but Kagome was a bit shaken. He saw through her with ease, which meant that she was exposed to a certain degree. And while she believed that she could trust Kuronue to a point, she understood the danger it presented.

Others might not be so benevolent. Others might use it. It was a weakness. And she couldn't afford to falter, to hesitate… to doubt. She couldn't afford…

_Do you know what it is to love a demon, ojou-san? Do you _truly_ know?_

A deep breath, though perhaps no one else heard it.

"What I want most is to get rid of my stylish accessory." Kagome said, shifting attention from important things, touching the jewel around her neck. It was always her way; to run, to hide, to cover… because it was convenient, because it was the easy path. And facing herself would mean challenging all that she had thought was sacred and…

And she hated him for this, for bringing her past this milestone.

"Wouldn't we all?"

A frown crossed her face. "I thought Kurama wanted the jewel." How easy it was to speak his name. How all – her whole world – seemed to orbit him.

"Oh, he does. As bargaining chip, not for keeping."

"You mean he'd sell it to the highest bidder." Kagome retorted, rather crossly.

"Possibly. Or he'd sell it back to Reikai." The priestess looked up somewhat abruptly. "Don't look so surprised. Your vaults contain some valuable treasures worthy of bartering for."

Upon hearing that, Kagome´s expression hardened. "Money and power. That's all that demons care about, isn't it?" _Yes, isn't it?_ A belief that could yet save her.

"You believe in thieving for thieving's sake. That gets boring after a few decades. It is tiring."

"Then why do you do it?" the priestess prodded, suddenly interested. "Why? How long have you been on this gang… with him?"

Now she didn't even mention Youko's name – Kuronue took note of that. Her mind was skating on the edge of a knife. Straying but a little would shatter her beyond repair, but the right push could open her to new possibilities. But it wasn't his decision to make and he respected that. However, he intended to have a more serious talk with Youko about this later on. Better sooner than later. He, too, wanted Kagome to remain, but for thoroughly different reasons. She was as exotic as any treasure he might have ever seen in his life, but certainly not one to be stolen against her will – that would be like damning them all. Her power could destroy them, but it could also benefit them greatly.

But he could only influence the decision, not make it for the kitsune.

"Some centuries. Three or four. I don't count years as I used to." he said in a blasé manner.

"Why?"

"Pardon?"

"Why did you choose this?"

Interest. But not idle; she _wanted_ to learn more. But it was not because of him, and Kuronue saw that. Perhaps she had developed a sense of subtlety, though that was doubtful. More likely, she herself didn't see the reason behind her question. the reason was to learn more about Youko, not him. Indirect information gathering. There was potential within her even for their line of work, he thought with slight irony.

"It's a long and uninteresting story." he noted with a grin. "The long and short of it is that Kurama stole something from me – naturally – and I attempted to get it back, to both my chagrin and great fortune. The former because he almost killed me; the latter because I eventually ended up on his side, here."

Unsurprisingly, Kagome seemed genuinely interested in this. Perhaps she had come to believe that most of the men were present based on some kind of twisted hero worship for the kitsune. Well, that was partially the truth, but certainly not all of it. There wasn't a single one of them that didn't have a wary respect for the fox demon, bordering with fear. There were those that had sought the horde out on their own accord, either because they sought glory or wanted to be part of the legend, but certainly those that had been defeated by Youko once and knew that it could and would happen again, if they didn't submit.

"But you must be glad." the bat demon said before Kagome had a chance to respond with interest or outrage – she seemed to be prone to both these days. "Only three days remain. On the fourth, you go to meet the wind witch. If you're careful this time, you will never have to see this place again." he added for clarification when the priestess seemed puzzled.

There; the shades of sorrow passed through her eyes. It was unmistakable now, but she couldn't see her own eyes, her own face; she herself was blind to it, ironically.

"I think I've learned a few things during my time here. This place has been nothing like I expected it to be." she confessed.

"You expected a den of lions where one eats another." Kuronue said with certainty; it was a statement. To Kagome's utter surprise, he seemed to be almost laughing. "Really, Kagome-sama, this makes me wonder how tight the leash of Reikai is around the necks of its servants. Don't be offended." He added when Kagome's face seemed to redden a bit. "It is the truth. The life you lead is substantially different from the one led here."

"Yes." Kagome admitted quietly. All her years – centuries! - spent patrolling the Makai hadn't granted her any kind of insight into the lives of ordinary demons, not the kind of insight a mere week or so of life among them had given her. "It's different here. Harsher."

"Freedom is a harsh thing to accept. It strips away the illusion of security. But it also grants new possibilities. Here, we are our own masters."

Truths could hurt more than lies and even Kagome understood this. But this truth didn't hurt. Rather, it brought a cold acceptance into her mind. Yes, she was a prisoner of sorts, but a willing one. And… she was free to do what she wished, when she wished.

For all her anger with Youko, she was free for the first time in her existence. No one expected her to do anything; no one was asking for aid or giving her tasks. The chores she performed were of her own will.

To leave… and return to the golden cage that had long since lost its tarnished splendour…

It was a new kind of fear.

"I can't stay here." she said in a feeble attempt at a protest; Kuronue decided against saying that he had never mentioned that she should stay. But that the possibility had occurred to her on her own accord was both surprising and welcome. At least she wasn't panicking. "The jewel would endanger the settlement."

Now_ that_ was a new one; even Kuronue raised his eyebrows at that. She was concerned about the settlement where half of the residents still weren't sure if it wasn't better to just kill her and be done with it. It made him understand another reason why Youko might have picked this girl – and chosen her he had, of that Kuronue was losing doubt by the minute. If he hadn't, there were dozens of other routes he might have taken, other words he might have used, other expressions that would have crossed his face.

The priestess within Kagome was the dominant figure, suppressing her personality. But even her true personality, subdued by long training, wouldn't even dream of backstabbing or stealing from anyone. The thought was alien to her. She thought in absolutes to too great a degree and in this case, that would likely never be changed.

But the seed of doubt had been planted and it had had enough time to take root deep in her heart.

High above, Youko was listening to the demoness that had approached him with less than half an ear. Pretty phrases, that was all these creatures had to offer. Perhaps a reason why he liked Kagome was that despite her foul-mouthed insolence, at least she spoke her mind. Unsubtly and impolitely at time, but openly.

"…and so I find myself somewhat concerned for the health of the… _younglings._" Karin, her name was. Pretty, power-hungry and relatively good with words. Of course, the pause would have betrayed her even to a more attentive listener. Still, there were worse 'cases' in his… circle of female admirers? That was a more polite expression than they deserved. "I think you see that bringing the miko _-sama _here was a mistake." Venom behind the title. Youko almost smirked.

What were the disadvantages of having Kagome around? Everything seemed to speak against her departure; because the next time they would meet, after Naraku's defeat, would hardly be pleasant.

Aside from the fact that Reikai would likely be searching high and low for her, restlessly, tirelessly, until they found her. Of course that would take decades, but still…

"Kurama-sama?" Kagome and Kuronue were talking again – he wasn't certain he liked it. Not because of some kind of possessiveness, because Kuronue knew well enough that the priestess was out of bounds, but because of instinctive wariness.

"Thank you for speaking your concerns; I acknowledge them and shall deal with the results of my decisions." And dismiss them as well, as he dismissed her by walking away, leaving the rather baffled demoness standing there.

Two hours of preparation gone to waste on her part.

Two more days passed without any incident. Then a third. During that time, not one thought of Naraku passed through either of his enemies' minds. And, finally, the final moments of Kagome's stay in the village came.

She realized it with a peculiar sinking feeling; unfortunately or otherwise, it was short-lived, as after waking up, she discovered that the shape at her bedside she had thought to be a figment of her sleepy mind was in fact Youko. He was sitting there as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Kagome almost freaked out, but the calm, serene expression on his face, partly visible in the morning light, halted that.

And, upon seeing her awake, the kitsune rose to his feet and proceeded to leave. "We should leave as soon as you are dressed." he said over his shoulder, without turning around. "You know where to find me."

It left Kagome baffled. He always had a reason for doing things; that was his way. And now, he came to her only to leave the moment she regained consciousness?

In truth, he came to look for an answer to his question: what to choose? And he had left without answers, only the feeling of _warmth_ that he couldn't place upon remembering the peaceful, sleeping priestess.

She got dressed in her old priestess garb and tied back her hair. The green fighter tunic she had been given remained at her bedside; she didn't want to be slowed by any unnecessary weigh, though she liked the clothing quite a lot. Kagome tied back her hair, her fingers unwillingly brushing against the jewel that remained around her neck at all times. Not for the first time, it felt like a manacle and chains, a prison… but this time, more than ever, she felt the pain of captivity.

Hatred rose within her. Hatred for her prison, for the waste her existence was. For the purposelessness of the jewel, doomed to remain but a rock that served only to pull her into the depths of the sea of despair in which she had begun to drown. Was she being pulled out of it or pushed deeper into it? Who was Youko Kurama to her – not the King of Thieves, but the person, the man – to her? Her savior or her murderer?

It seemed that every demon in the village, apparitions of all shapes and sizes, had decided that the parting of the priestess was not a thing to be missed. Amidst the crowd, Kuronue stood, looking entirely subtle, though standing out in Kagome's eyes. And the crowd seemed pure rabble when Youko stood in front of them, patiently, no scorn or bitterness in his eyes when they rested upon her. But the sight was no longer as overwhelming as it had been before. It was no less splendorous, but it was… _him_.

She stopped her stride, more confident than she felt, meters away from the tall fox demon. What gave her the power not to look away from his eyes was a mystery to her.

"Are you prepared?" His voice asked and the harem women detected a hint of a caress in it, their paranoia finally paying off somewhat. Two of them left, one bursting into angry tears later on.

Kagome didn't see any of that. She simply nodded. "Yes."

Silence.

"Your weapons, Kagome-sama." Kuronue stepped into the situation before the tension could find a suitable physical manifestation. The yew longbow of the priestess was polished, as if it were new; the arrows had been sharpened. Kagome would notice that only later, to some surprise and part gratitude. Then, the bat demon stepped back. "We'll be seeing you sooner or later."

That almost got Kagome's attention and she managed a smile in his direction. "No offence meant, but hopefully later."

"We should be off. You know what to do." Kuronue gave a nod and, from the way Youko drew the priestess away, read the situation. It seemed that no intervention on his part was needed. Youko had resolved the situation on his own, without the kind of self-delusions Kagome harbored.

And from the shiver that passed through Kagome when he took her in his arms, it seemed that she would choose herself soon. "Of course. As do you."


	24. Awakening of the soul

All right, people! We'll be at the end of act I soon, which is really exciting, no? Then, there's gonna be some surprise twists that will leave you crying a Darth Vader-style "NOOOOOO!!" and you'll attempt to kill me or capture me and torture me into telling you what happens next. However, this chapter was the most difficult to write thus far. It had to tie several storylines into one again and set the stage for the rest of the story. The next chapter – one you'll love, trust me – is almost done, so it'll get posted when I have the time.

Currently, all hell has broken loose at college. Tests, exams, you name it, it's there. A math test on Wednesday… I'm a bit worried about that. Oh, and last Friday, I had a driving lesson and my wonderful junk heap's engine died on me on a crossroad. -- Talk about wonderful. Well, at least it was night and only one car was behind me at the traffic lights, but the guy in it probably wasn't that pleased with the delay. Ouch. Heh. Sorry, whoever you were. But hey, n00bs are entitled to such tiny mistakes, ne?

Anyway, ja ne!

PS: Anyone who spots the Slayers quote here gets chocolate chip cookies and maybe a teensy spoiler, if they want it!

X X X

**Awakening of the soul**

X X X X X

"Between men and women, there is no friendship possible. There is passion, enmity, worship, love, but no friendship."

- Oscar Wilde

X X X X X

The journey was decidedly longer than Kagome had expected it to be. Last time, she had been unconscious for the most part of it, be it due to injuries or poisonous blooms, but it didn't seem that long a journey. But this time, it was a silent trip, as she couldn't, for the first time in her life, find any words to say. How did one start a conversation one wished to postpone for as long as possible, but knew that, in the end, it was best to get it over with at once?

Not that Youko was helping much, part of her grumbled, as the kitsune himself hadn't bothered to say as much as a single word ever since the start of their little trip, several hours ago, and though now that she was allowed to travel on his back again – once out of eyesight and earshot of the village, where it wouldn't have looked too good – she was a bit more comfortable than being carried in his arms, she was thoroughly displeased with this turn of events.

Actually, the kitsune was calculating. Relinquishing his current hold on her would likely weaken the emotional trap she was caught in somewhat, which was not good, both strategically and because it didn't bode well for his… other… plans. But there was no other way to deal with the situation at the moment. Keeping her with him longer would be even worse – besides, it was said that loss was something one felt most strongly when they lost something they were attached to. So perhaps it would stir the priestess in the right direction and entrap her further.

But he was addressing a different issue in his mind.

Two possibilities, tempting, beneficial, were presented to him. One cancelled the other out.

Kagome or the Shikon no Tama?

This was a dilemma. For the first time – of many, for certain – the jewel was more of a hindrance than a benefit.

Certainly, it would allow him access to the vaults of Reikai, it would give him the chance to win without a drop of blood being spilled. Negotiations were his specialty and he knew how to drive a hard bargain. But then, on the other hand, there was the priestess, whom he no longer viewed as a bargaining chip (or, to be fair, not only as that) and who, in his eyes, had value at least equal to the jewel. But it was obvious that he had to give one up for the sake of keeping the other.

He couldn't have both, he realized. Not under the current circumstances.

If he kept the jewel, the priestess would hunt him until, eventually, he would probably be forced to slay her, which was not something he wanted to consider a possibility. In addition, Reikai would no doubt resurrect her and keep on coming until they got what they wanted. If he bartered with the jewel, Kagome would think her worst opinions on him had been confirmed and sink back into the depths of her ignorance, refusing to speak with him, which was unacceptable.

On the other hand, if he kept the priestess…

Well, that wasn't such a sure wager. After all, Kagome had a greater temper than the sum total of his riches – or close to it, he thought with a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips – and there was no telling how she would react, what would happen… and that, in a way, was the beauty of it. With Kagome, there was no stereotype. And perhaps she could open his eyes to new possibilities in life and bring in something he had never missed but never had as well.

Decisions, decisions….

By the time they arrived at the agreed spot, night was not too far away. The sun was setting over the hills that had framed the valley where Naraku's imaginary castle had stood previously. The woods were peaceful, calm, as if never disturbed. Demons around them were far away, primitive and weak. No threat to either of them, let alone when they were together. Youko noticed that Kagome was trying to find the courage and the words to speak. She felt obliged to make things right, apparently, but at the same time, maintained her conviction in her own truth.

_That is Kagome for you,_ he thought, and there was a certain fondness to the thought, despite the fact that he still maintained a degree of anger aimed in her direction.

She had seen all that he was. All of it that he would reveal to her… and she _still_ wanted to make things right, despite the harshness he had shown her, the truth without any veil of pretence.

It was so utterly foolish and naïve… such imperfection that would be the death of any other creature… but in her, it was beautiful, because it made her who she was. In her, it was both infuriating and endearing. In her, all that he would never tolerate in himself or his warriors was acceptable.

Did that make him like those two lowlifes – the blind one and the lunatic – who also pined for her attention? No; he didn't believe her to be the height of perfection or any kind of ideal. And it was not entirely wrong to say that neither of them, the wolf or the hanyou, actually knew the real Kagome. With the insane one, it was plausible due to his condition, but the wolf… well, perhaps it was just inbred stupidity and blindness. Either way, not his problem, because he remembered well how the priestess had reacted to each of them and it was fundamentally different from their interactions.

The seed was there. It was only a matter of tending to it, choosing a course of action.

The decision was made, of course. It was only a matter of accepting it and embracing it.

As she was set down on the ground with care, Kagome wondered yet again just what Youko was thinking about. Though he wasn't as much of a talker as her, it was nonetheless unusual that he didn't even deign her worthy of wasting words. She frowned slightly – could he still be that angered by her words? But then, why had he come to her bedside in the morning? And… how long had he been sitting there, exactly? Why?

She never got a chance to voice those questions. The wind witch was already waiting for them, tapping her fan into her left palm impatiently.

Kagura looked worse than ever. It wasn't her silken kimono – still intact and apparently freshly cleaned – but her expression. Her eyes held… pain. She had obviously been punished for her failures at their previous encounter. But the wind witch covered it all with a surly façade when questioning looks were turned towards her and wasted no time diverting attention by adopting a leer when her ruby eyes rested on Youko.

"Well, aren't you two bright rays of sunshine."

It was almost a jeer, directed at them both, because the witch didn't miss the fact that Kagome looked miserable and she could very well guess what the cause was. It was like an awakening of sorts – Kagome remembered that her inner battles were not the only ones she had to fight. Seeing Kagura was a reminder of the fact that Naraku still lived, with InuYasha still in his grasp… along with answers.

He had said that she didn't have any idea who Kikyo _is_. That last word remained very mysterious to her. Kikyo, alive? But he hadn't hinted anything of the sort. She willed herself to dismiss these thoughts, but it was in vain. Questions, pondering… it was a tempting prospect, but right now, the priority was Naraku, not Kikyo. And perhaps, once InuYasha would regain his sanity through careful purification – something she also dreaded somewhat – she would learn more about Kikyo. That is, if he believed that she wasn't her.

"We didn't come to waste time with your idle banter." Youko spoke, his voice as calm and cold as ever. It was the voice with which he had addressed Naraku during their battle, the one tone he had yet to use on her. It was clear that he put up with the wind witch only because it was beneficial for the moment.

A flash of anger mingled with fear passed through Kagura's eyes, but she masked it so quickly, it seemed that it had never been there in the first place. "Always the charmer, fox boy." she retorted with a half-sneer. "Anyway, I've got the information you wanted."

"And?" the kitsune asked when Kagome didn't.

"The castle's shifted position to the southeast from here, bout two hundred miles. Can't say how long it'll stay there." Kagura explained. "It's been doing some moving since you guys burst in last time. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend attacking right now."

"Why?" Finally, Kagome found her voice. "If it shifts again, we won't know where to look?"

Kagura winced a bit, as if remembering something, and raised an eyebrow. "And if Naraku puts two and two together and figures out that I wasn't exactly out for an evening stroll when you come barging in a few minutes after me? What d'you think you'll do after he deals with me?"

"I… hadn't thought of that." Kagome mumbled, realizing the truth behind that statement. "But then it doesn't get us anywhere."

"No, it does." Youko interrupted, without looking at the priestess – which she somehow noticed more than she ought to – and shooting another question at Kagura. "When is your next mission outside the castle?"

The wind witch was a bit taken aback. "Naraku doesn't exactly have a schedule, you know. But he's bound to send me off on some errand or another within the week. He doesn't really go out much."

"Good. When you receive your task, fly over this location. I'll have someone watch it here and report it to me. Should the location change, come here nonetheless and wait for my scout. He'll bring me the information." Youko seemed to have planned it out before the plan even began.

"Is InuYasha still captive?" Kagome asked with a bit of a timid tone when Kagura promptly fell silent, somewhat awed by the effectiveness of the planning. Talk about swift thinking.

"Well, it depends on what you consider as being captive." The wind witch huffed. "But Naraku still has the mutt, yeah. Dunno why, though. He hates his guts for some reason, but he's not really torturing him… that much." she amended. "Maybe he's planning something; that would be just like him."

"You should leave, before you're missed." Youko interjected firmly. He knew what he needed to know; there was no further need to associate himself with the witch any longer.

The hint of a pout. "You need to play less hard to get, that's your problem, fox boy. Ice doesn't create fire easily. But fire can melt ice…."

"If you have enough time to irritate me, you should have enough time to see Kagome back to the Reikai outpost where you met up with her." the kitsune interjected once more, his face impassive. This time, he glanced at the priestess, who seemed anxious.

Kagura raised a delicate eyebrow. _Kagome_ now, was it? My, perhaps someone had already taken the role of fire in this relationship…

"What, you think I'm some sort of public transportation?" she challenged, whipping a feather out of her chestnut hair. "If Naraku catches scent of her on me, we're done for. No, thanks. I'd rather keep my existence for some time longer." And, a white feather soaring through the air, she retreated into the skies. "Make sure that scout of yours is decent to look at!" she shouted before vanishing into the horizon.

Youko resisted the urge to either shake his head or roll his eyes – neither was like him. But that… woman, if she could even be called one, was probably the most loud-mouthed and impertinent creature he had ever had the misfortune to encounter. She was a gambler, a lowlife, but she had guts… or lacked brains. Whatever the case, she was useful, for now. Desperation radiated from her every pore and that was a powerful tool.

Animals chased into the corner tended to show their teeth.

"So, then…" Kagome's voice trailed off.

Goodbyes. Again.

There was too much time in-between now and putting their plan to action… and she had spent far too much time in Makai already. She imagined that Sango was worried sick and Koenma was fuming in his office, worried and angered at the same time. She couldn't stray here, not much longer. But she had the sudden need to say something _relevant_, or scream, more likely, because the stoic face Youko had maintained for so long was starting to anger her. if he yelled at her, she could vent out her anger and believe that it was right to do so. But not like this… this was how she had begun to doubt herself even further.

"Kagome." Her rather pathetic attempt at finding the right words – and figuring out what those words were, exactly - was mercifully interrupted by Youko, though his expression was still not that of kitsune mischief, the one she had dared hope for.

The priestess's head snapped up to look at him, even against her will, and she realized that he was handing her something. By now, the object appeared almost foreign, but after a moment or two, she recognized her communicator.

Had it really been that long?

She took it with a nod of thanks, because the words wouldn't come yet. The sinking sensation in her stomach was accompanied by a shiver when, briefly, their fingers touched and the jewel didn't react at all. Deep inside her, something screamed with rage and threatened to break the cage she had enclosed it in. she realized that she had to leave, or the prison would be broken and then… and then… there was no "then".

Had she known how transparent her face was to the fox demon, she might have taken more care with her feelings, but then again, she was _Kagome_, and control of such a sort had always escaped her grasp. It was one of those things that made her what and who she was. But now – for now – it was time to release her, Youko knew, though it certainly wasn't the thing that would please him most at the moment. Yet the forces of Reikai, while pests only, could make life slightly more difficult for him, especially if they sensed the priestess nearby – and so, he made the decision to let her go.

An uneasy decision he would surely regret.

He didn't want to hear words of apologies, because it had been so long since anyone had awakened anger within him. And he was still angered by her naïveté, but the anger would persist no matter what she said and he didn't want to think less of her if she surrendered her faith in her convictions so easily. Even this anger, a logical response to her infuriating innocence, would be kept safe and, in a way, cherished in her absence. Anger was but one part of what she could awaken.

"So, when and where should I meet you?" the priestess asked, forcing a faint cheerfulness into her voice, though it rang very hollow. She couldn't yell at him… not now, not now.

"_I _will meet _you._" Youko said in response, very aware that she was avoiding his eyes. The pressure he was applying had begun to create a crack. Just a bit more force exerted… "You are only to return to Reikai and try not to get killed until we meet again."

Crack. "You don't have to keep lecturing me all the time." Kagome's head snapped up, but for all her sour expressions, she still looked about as dangerous as a little girl. "I can handle myself."

"It is advice, not a lecture." Youko said patiently, parrying the verbal attack. "And you would do well to remember that Naraku might have a spy in Reikai, watching you and your… friends." A bitter word. "I would choose my words well when explaining to your princeling how come you were detained."

"You think I'm completely incompetent, don't you?" the priestess shot back, but there was something hurt in her, despite her harsh tone. "After all, I'm just the _bait_, aren't I? Why don't you just go get Naraku yourself and send me a message after you're done?"

It was useless before he said it. "Calm yourself."

"What, and be like you?" The priestess gave a most un-lady-like snort and folded her arms. "The world would freeze over if there were two of you, Kurama. And anger can't warm me in such cold. I can't stand it. And I think that, you know what? I can't stand _you_." And it _hurt_ and he didn't understand _why_. "You think you can just take me from my reality and routine and transform me into your puppet? I'm not like you – I can't be like you! You can change my way of thinking or my priorities, but I'll still be me… and you'll be yourself." She drew breath, as if she had spoken more than she wished to. But all these things had been pinned down in her soul and she had to say them now. Now. "I… I think it might be best if we part ways after this is done. Before…"

She didn't finish her thought. There was no ending to it. Before…

_Before you make me _believe_ that_ _you have changed me… before I become someone without the will to resist…_

It was the last stand of her willpower… and, her frustration flaring up, she saw that Youko seemed to accept it with an almost nonchalant expression.

"If that is what you_ truly_ want." he said simply. And then, as suddenly as he had appeared in her world, he vanished before she could even make sense of things. It was a testament of the _warmth_ that he didn't force her into doing his bidding.

And the priestess felt her knees shaking, as if she had had a very large bucket of very cool water thrown at her. And she was left alone. With a shaking hand, she raised her communicator and dialled the only number there – the frequency that would reach Sango and Miroku.

X X X X X

Two hours later, Sango was embracing her so tightly that Kagome didn't really know when she would get a dose of oxygen. Miroku restrained himself from groping Sango at the moment, though her guard was thoroughly dropped, and had an uncustomary frown on his young face. and then, there was Koenma, who was on his table, almost jumping up and down in anger, yelling with his child's squeaky voice, a covering George trying to maintain the balance of a mass of paperwork behind him.

"-AND DO YOU KNOW JUST HOW IRRESPONSIBLE IT WAS TO LEAVE WITH A DEMON WITHOUT ASKING FOR CLEARANCE OR APPROVAL FROM ME-!?"

"It's all right, Sango-chan." Kagome said gently, feeling that the taijiya was struggling not to cry or sob when she was supposed to display strength. "I'm sorry that I couldn't call you… I'm sorry that you had to worry."

"We knew you were alive, Kagome-chan." Sango managed to say when she relinquished her grip somewhat. "But we didn't know if you had been kidnapped or trapped somewhere…"

"The officer who reported your departure said you were hunting Naraku." Miroku added, leaning against the doorframe of the office. Then, he jumped away from it, as Botan burst into the room, not even bothering to contain her squeal of joy as she rushed to embrace Kagome herself.

"Kagome-chan! I heard that you were back! Oh, we were worried that that Naraku person had caught you! That's a pretty haori." The ferry girl added upon realizing that the fabric of Kagome's clothes was different. "Why, it's silk!"

Sango and Miroku hadn't noticed before, but the monk's frown deepened somewhat. That narrowed down the places where Kagome had been very much.

"-IF YOU HAD BEEN CAUGHT, DO YOU HAVE THE SLIGHTEST IDEA WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE BEEN?! HAVE YOU EVEN BOTHERED TO THINK-"

"I was hurt." Kagome confessed and described her injury, ignoring Koenma's rant and Botan's gasp. "But… I was in the right place at the right time, in a way."

"And what have you been doing since then?" Sango inquired. "How come you didn't contact us? We could have helped!"

Kagome hesitated. Miroku noticed it. It was the final clue. "My communicator was… misplaced." Almost, but not quite a lie. Not very customary in the lady priestess he knew, the monk noted to himself, but very subtle… she couldn't have learned this kind of wordplay on her own. "Otherwise I would have called you instantly. I was forced to search for it while investigating the matter of Naraku."

"Your recovery rate is remarkable for such a grievous wound." Miroku noted, his nonchalance almost natural. But it was a verbal manoeuvre to make Kagome reveal the truth without compromising herself in front of the others, because the monk had a very good idea what kind of hell would break loose if Koenma were to put two and two together. "Isn't it, Kagome-sama?" he added for emphasis.

Kagome blinked a bit. It took her several seconds to understand what Miroku was trying to do and she realized that there was no way she could lie, even if she wished to. Why would she even consider that possibility?

Because it was wrong – both the lie and the fixation she had developed on Youko – and wrongness was always easy.

"I had help and healing herbs, Miroku-sama." Kagome replied, looking him in the eyes. _Yes, you are right, but we will discuss this later on. _"But that isn't really that important. Kagura – the demoness I had talked to – has given me crucial information for finding Naraku. And I have met the demon myself. He is cunning – he managed to deceive me using demon puppets of himself and escape with his illusionary castle."

That caught the monk's attention. "Kugutsu." he muttered to himself. "Demon magic. I should have suspected…"

"I think Kagome-chan is entitled to a good night's rest!" Botan interjected. Kirara, who was also present, jumped onto her shoulder with an approving meow, earning a giggle from the ferry girl. "Two weeks in Makai must have been dreadful enough to be exhausting, having to pay attention to demons all the time!"

"Yes… dreadful… certainly exhausting." Kagome nodded, though the former was truer and falser than any of them might suspect. Again, only Miroku seemed to notice a change in her demeanour, but he said nothing.

"I'll see you to your room, Kagome-chan." Sango offered, taking Kagome's hand when she released her. there were rings under the slayer's eyes and Kagome suddenly felt guilty about her selfishness. Sango had worried about her all those days…

"I shall go as well." Miroku said, allowing Kagome and Sango to pass through the door first, smiling innocently when the demon slayer gave him a suspicious glance.

"YOU'RE JUST LUCKY THAT I NEED YOU BATTLE-READY, OR ELSE YOU'D GET MORE THAN A THOUSAND SPANKINGS FOR PULLING OFF- HEY! WHERE DID THEY GO?"

"Um, I think they left already, sir." George noted timidly.

"WHAT? THEN WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING THERE, YOU BIG BLUE BUFFOON?!"

"I... I'll just go feed Kirara, then, shall I?" Botan scurried out of the room right when the stack of paperwork George was carrying fell on top of Koenma's head.

All permanent residents of the castle had their own quarters. This included Kagome, Sango and Miroku, who each had chambers fully equipped with that which they might require and more. It was a rare occurrence that they spent too much time there, but nevertheless, it was pleasant to sleep indoors for a while, Kagome reflected happily.

"If there's anything you need or just want to talk, call us, Kagome-chan." Sango still appeared worried, but it was a different kind of worry. Again, she had the feeling that Kagome was keeping something from them, perhaps not intentionally, but had a secret nonetheless.

And Kagome's fake smile did nothing to reassure her. "I'll be fine, thank you, Sango-chan. Don't worry." But Sango worried, because it was clear that Kagome didn't see just how tired she seemed and just how she seemed to be distancing herself from them. It felt wrong.

"Go on without me, Sango." And then houshi-sama didn't want to come and debate Kagome. It made the slayer's eyebrows rise again in suspicion. Surely he wouldn't dare take advantage of Kagome's state…? "I need to tell Kagome-sama something. I'll be along shortly."

That was something new. But Sango nodded and obliged – the last thing Kagome needed now was a scene like that. Besides, it _wasn't _jealousy or anything. But she _would_ pry it out of the monk later on. In the meantime, she went to find Botan and Kirara.

Seeing that Kagome was also surprised, Miroku got straight to the point. "Kagome-sama, we will need to have a strategy meeting in the near future. It concerns us all, more than you might suspect. For now, I understand your silence regarding your… rescuer, but take care." The frown made him seem wiser, but older as well. "That we have common purposes right now means little. All centres around Naraku. InuYasha, Kurama…" then, bitterly, he glanced at his own hand, the one bound by prayer beads. "And this wound of mine as well."

That Miroku never spoke about the details of his strange injury was well-known, so this revelation was stunning. "You mean to tell me that the wound… the kazaana… is Naraku's doing as well?" Kagome asked, forgetting her own troubles for the moment.

No healer in Reikai could heal the wound, seal the hole… it had brought no good, though it didn't spread any longer. It was a weapon, for certain, but Miroku wished to be rid of it nonetheless. Kagome understood why. It was dangerous, no matter how one looked at it.

"I believe so." the monk said grimly. "I had thought that the demon that had set this curse upon my grandfather is no more, or lost to me, but the more you tell me of him, the more certain and suspicious I grow. This creature is no mere demon. He is a hybrid, something that should never have existed. We must take extra care and end him as soon as possible. Even if we are to enlist the aid of… unorthodox allies."

Kagome sighed when she saw the slight grin that tugged at his mouth. "Tease me all you want, Miroku-sama, but you may thank me in the end. He can be loyal to a cause. I've seen it."

"Yes, if it suits his purposes. And, fortunately for us, it seems it does. I'm happy for you, Kagome-sama." the monk added after a moment's pause, finally smiling, as if he knew something she didn't. "But take care in your expectations. A moment of happiness might be worth taking the risk, but remember that it might be only a moment."

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked, perplexed, but something turned her stomach into a knot, as if he had discovered her deepest, darkest secrets.

Miroku only smiled that enigmatic smile of his. He didn't really wish to spoil this, so he remained an observer, without intervening. He had _known_ enough women in his short lifetime to be able to read them, save for the _one… _but that was a different story. Still, nothing was more charming than seeing a young girl awaken to her feelings, though regrettably, it wasn't because of him in this case.

"Now_ that_ is a secret. If I told you, you would not forgive me or yourself. Good night, Kagome-sama." And he walked off to try and steal another touch of the woman for whose _feel_ – not yet feelings – he himself longed, leaving a thoroughly baffled Kagome standing at the door.


	25. Lifting the veil

Attention, people! This is the chapter you've all been waiting for since the very beginning, so I expect a whole lot of reviews! The next update will take a hell of a lot more time than this one, because right now, my tests and exams are my priority. Math, law, economics and informatics. The Fantastic Four. Ouch.

Anyway, this chapter is getting posted this soon only because all but the short opening scene was already finished by the time the last one was posted – the last chapter is actually likely the weakest of the story, for which I apologize. But this one was a joy to write! Hope you like the newly added lyrics or quotes that go with the chapters, but they won't be a regular thing. I just had a few songs in mind that went well with these moments, so I used them.

Without further ado, here is the chapter.

All you fans: Kuronue is back! Temporarily, anyway….

X X X

**Lifting the veil**

X X X X X

Somewhere in the world  
Somewhere in the dark  
I can hear the voice that calls my name  
Might be a memory  
Might be my future  
Might be a love waiting for me

Rock me gently  
Hug me tenderly  
Till the morning breaks, night fades away  
I've spent my time in vain  
Trapped inside pain  
Don't let me down  
Help me see the light

-Somewhere in the world, Slayers

X X X X X

"So, you let her go." Stating the obvious. He _hated_ that.

And so, he gave a mildly annoyed frown. "Clearly, otherwise you would likely be able to see her. She is likely back in Reikai right now."

"So, does that mean that you still intend to go through with the original plan, or might I have the pleasure of telling your unsubtle female stalkers that they are really out of luck this time?" Hopeful, but not annoying or innocent in the statement. Gleeful.

On a different occasion, it would have amused him. Now, it only served to make him wish he could afford the luxury to sigh openly. "As tempting as letting you do that is, now isn't the best time. Besides, Kagome expressed that she, I quote, couldn't stand me and wished to part ways as soon as possible."

Still grinning, perhaps even more broadly than before. _He _was _sulking_… or as close as the celebrated Youko Kurama could get to that. And he looked troubled – another chink in his usually flawless armour.

"Well, now, you know what that means, don't you?"

A raised eyebrow. "No. Do elaborate, o wise one."

Ignoring it, without any kind of trouble. It was routine. "One more step and it's all in the bag. My advice? Act now, while you still have the strong effect on her. Distance and time can weaken such things, you know."

"Are you implying that I am to steal her out of the palace in Reikai for the sake to get her to talk to me while she is still emotionally unbalanced and potentially violent towards my person?" That was likely the stupidest plan ever conceived. And such things often worked, really.

"Of course! You _do_ want the girl, don't you?"

Silence. A glare.

So he was more right than he had thought. This was big. This was insane. This was wonderful.

And, after a moment, a whistle. "You... wow...heh... I mean... da-YAAMN!" This was true _emotion_ and nothing he would say now could disguise waving of hands. "Don't say anything! I want to remember this moment forever: Youko Kurama, discovering he's in _love_ with the poster-saint of Reikai! Ooh, this was worth all those… H-hey, what are you doing with that rose whip…?"

Crack. Yep, definitely love.

More silence.

"Ouch."

X X X X X

It was a dream.

The world – whichever world – was filled with peace and calm, radiating from every being, the beauty of it filling up the air, which she hungrily drew into her lings, allowing herself to be purified by its splendour. And, to complete her happiness, the world changed again, ridding her of all troubles and worries, granting her the one wish she had always held deep in her heart. She was no longer alone. She had never been alone – her friends had stood by her side for as long as time existed – but she had always been lonely, always lacking someone who would fill her entire being with unending rapture without doing anything at all, merely by being there for her…

And in front of her, the creature stood, the one person who changed that predicament and made her feel, truly feel, what she had been missing throughout the long centuries of her life. She might not have understood previously, but now, seeing with new eyes, she dismissed the past and embraced the future, ready to say everything she should have long ago have declared and do what it had taken her centuries realize was the right thing.

Then, with perfect timing, the dream ended and Kagome discovered that none of those thoughts were actually real. Of course, save for the last one, where she saw someone very important to her close by…

Her eyes finally regained focus and she realized that the reasons she had woken up prematurely in the first place were enough to secure her full attention. Abruptly, she tried to sit up, only to discover that she was actually held in the firm grip of someone familiar… someone who moved at great speed and had very, very soft hair…

Quite suddenly, she realized everything and strength returned to her and she found her voice again.

"Hey! Just what do you think you're doing?!" she cried, about a minute before they were actually to stop. Youko ignored her completely, which set her off even more. "Hello! I'm talking to you!"

They were in the middle of a large labyrinth of pathways that led through Reikai to the particular hells and heavens – the final destinations for departed souls – and as she really wanted to know what he was trying to achieve by kidnapping her from the palace in the middle of the night, she thought it was time for drastic measures.

Aside from breaking the record for impossibilities, of course.

And so, she tugged at the fox ear closest to her both gently and firmly.

Even if they hadn't reached their destination – and, fortunately, they had, this being the slightly forested platform leading to the pathways to heaven – Youko would have likely still stopped with the same astonishment. That had certainly never happened before. But it wasn't as uncomfortable as one would assume it would be.

"Why did you do that?" he asked when he finally stopped and allowed Kagome down – of course, she proceeded to stalk away immediately (rather childish and pointless in his opinion) – and thus he didn't receive an answer more coherent than a shriek when he grabbed the priestess from behind and leapt up to one of the thicker branches of the highest tree within his reach. Once there, Kagome was less eager to release him, but he placed her into a safe sitting position before letting go. No harm would come to her on a tree, of course.

"Let me get this straight." she said once she regained her balance and her anger. "You kidnap me from the palace of the rulers of Reikai, in the middle of the night, the same day you let me go back home…. just to ask me why I try to get your attention because of that?" A sigh of utter frustration came from her lips. "I thought you were supposed to be the smart one!"

"I decided that we needed to speak properly before carrying out our plan, Kagome." the fox demon said, his tone serious as he dismissed her pettiness. "There will be little time for such things later on. If it is to work out, I need your full cooperation and you have proven to be distinctly unhelpful when you are angry with me."

The priestess gave a slightly scandalized half-gasp, half-snort. "Well, I'm sorry that some of us actually still have actual feelings even after a few centuries!" she snapped, but refrained from putting her hands on her hips, worried that her balance might be upset by her natural clumsiness.

Youko remained nearly unfazed by the reply, only a slight crease appeared between his brows. "You realize that you are very prone to anger when your beliefs are placed in an environment that scorns them or doesn't respect them. Your more human emotions can be very easily exploited."

"Oh, I get it now." Kagome settled with crossing her arms. "I understand why you're here now. You think I'm a liability to the operation, don't you? You think that if Naraku and I face off again, I'll fly off the handle and play into his cards?"

"You don't understand my point."

"No, I think I understand perfectly. Well, I'll tell you one thing, Mr. I'm-the-almighty-King-of-Thieves-so-fear-me." She was starting to gain steam, raising an accusing finger at him once again. "You aren't flawless or invincible yourself, though you might think so. You never make the first move in battle and thus you can miscalculate more severely than I ever could! And I usually don't think in complex plans."

The kitsune lowered his gaze for the first time, giving an indulgent smile that seemed to say he was giving in. He had enough wisdom to see when something was going nowhere. "You are easily the most stubborn and righteous creature in all the Three Realms. But I think I was fortunate to encounter you." Again, as he looked up, his eyes were serious, though the traces of a smile remained. "And you are wrong; excluding you from the plan is the last thing I want to do."

Kagome calmed down somewhat, feeling a warmth within her at the praise; but she was baffled nonetheless. "Then why are you here?" A slightly mad, but very amusing thought came to her. "Could it be that the great Youko Kurama has come to apologize?"

"Not to apologize, I'm afraid." He certainly didn't look afraid. "Rather, to set things right between us once more."

The priestess raised her nose slightly, almost scoffing at the suggestion. "I hardly think one is possible without the other."

"Hear me out, at least."

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really… but I am careful with what I steal." the fox demon noted, with less mischief than usual, but certainly more than was prudent at the moment.

Realizing that there was no way out for now, Kagome remembered one more thing. "If I listen to what you have to say, will you return me to Reikai?"

"You have my word." The promise was made readily, as if he had expected it.

"The word of a thief." Her rational side reminded both of them. And she clung to that belief, because even her newly awakened anger seemed like a wall of paper rather than stone, which she would have preferred as a defensive barrier against his words. "I'm not sure how much that amounts to."

"Words have only as much value as you attribute to them. But I uphold bargains when I am the one initiating them, Kagome." Youko noted patiently.

For a second, Kagome seemed to concede. "You realize that I won't abide such things again." she blurted out a moment later.

"You're giving me a chance already, you realize." And he hadn't even spoken yet.

The priestess changed her point of view at lightning speed. "You're distracting me from my point. It won't work, you know."

"How unfortunate. But if deception is what you despise, I believe the solution to our predicament is quite simple."

"You mean… no more deception?" _Really?_ She wanted to add. Was he even capable of that? She doubted it somewhat, but she was… well, willing to give him the benefit of doubt.

"My offer is slightly different and twice as valuable."

He really lost her there. "That being?"

Somehow, she got the feeling that she shouldn't have asked. Moreover, she wasn't certain she liked the strange light that danced in his eyes. In a smooth transformation that actually never happened, the kitsune's features morphed into something slightly darker, yet remained the same – perhaps a display of his inner thoughts, but Youko was always so guarded with those things. Guarded to the point that she could never be quite certain just what he was thinking.

It was terrifying, even more than when she had feared for her life when InuYasha had her pinned down, claws at her throat.

"We simply remove the deception."

Before she could come to a conclusion about what he was trying to do or what he meant, her mind stopped working abruptly. It wasn't gradual and slow, like with a stopping engine, but abrupt, as if someone turned off a television set. Sounds and sights were muted and vanished and then, the last remains of her already numbed and yet hyper-aware senses registered a foreign touch on her lips.

It certainly was a new kind of theft, but she was too stunned to even move an inch. A burning sensation passed through her entire body… but it was a pleasant feeling and, had she been able to think about it, she would have perhaps submitted to it more completely. She was far too frozen in place to be able to do anything and so, before her brain could stop its giddy pirouettes to remind her that it might actually be even better if she responded somehow, she felt the touch end, to some displeasure on her part.

The chained and caged part of her struggled with a new vitality and certainly part of the prison – if not all of it – was sent crashing down in a spectacular fashion.

Gradually, she managed to open her eyes – she didn't even know when she had closed them – and felt cold fear rush into her. It was a strange aftermath to something so intense, perhaps, but she had never felt so disarmed in her entire life. Perhaps she half-expected the usual teasing, but she was thoroughly unprepared for this turn of events. If the previous expression the kitsune had graced her with had been seduction, then there were no words in her mind prudent enough to describe him at the moment. He wasn't handsome or beautiful – there was something animalistic in him undermining that. He was magnetic, to such a degree that even Kagome, whose experience with desire amounted to about zero felt something in her pull hard at her to make her at least attempt to react in turn.

At the very least, he had discovered an entirely full-proof means of silencing her when the situation required it, though it was somewhat doubtful that this would be a method applicable in battle. Still, there were uses for it, clearly, and what was even more surprising was that she actually felt different from other women he had stolen kisses from. For the first time, it was not he who was doing the seducing – and the wonderful part about it was that she actually had no idea of her own radiance and remained entirely innocent even when something deep within her wanted to remedy that.

He found it to be to his liking. And never let it be said that he let something he liked escape his grasp. She had had her moment to breathe. And then, again, he felt the sweetness of her lips with a gentleness he himself had no idea he possessed. It had been a good, solid plan from the start, but the reality of it was far more than that. Gradually, perhaps some instinct taking over, the priestess tried to respond in the shyest of ways, which was all the encouragement the kitsune needed – that he had waited for her submission and not made her submit was also a remarkable change – and both his arms brought her closer, one snaking its way around her waist, the other delving into her loose hair.

Only at such proximity could it be made entirely clear that she was actually more beautiful than anyone could give her credit at first glance, as no one had ever seen what lay beneath her robes. Never mind that her body was covered now – he had seen enough to know. But she had been unconscious then and now, the feeling of her form pressed against him, accompanied with the memory of her skin was nothing short of hypnotic, which was more than sufficient proof that he had made the right choice.

After all, it hadn't been a choice made lightly, as the commitment it would require wasn't exactly short-term, but if it was the only means of attaining what he desired, then so be it. He had never denied himself anything and he wasn't in the mood to start.

Finally, when the embrace inevitably ended, the priestess regained the power of speech after several long moments, long before her mind even started working once more.

"I… don't understand."

Even if she hadn't seen the sly expression on his face, she could still feel the amusement in his voice, though it was darker than mischief and somehow deeper than words.

"Do you need further demonstration?" It was desire. "I'd be happy to oblige…"

How unfortunate that she recovered before he could make good on that promise, though he regarded with some satisfaction that she had jerked back only half-heartedly. Besides, she had no means of escaping anyway. Not without fracturing a few bones in the process and then she wouldn't be able to even move.

"N-no! I mean… I mean I think I actually understand _that_, but I don't really see why… why are you doing this?"

"I thought I told you." Youko repeated, slightly more seriously, though it was gradually becoming clear that for once, he was not eager to chide her. In his eyes was a storm that seemed to beckon her. "I merely took deception out of the picture, according to your wishes."

"Wait… you mean… you mean that your way of solving the fact that you had people believe you intended to mate me is… actually _doing_ it?" _Fear my supreme logic, world. _

She had never expected that a helpless prey could be actually charmed by the grin of a predator. "Aren't you smart when you focus your attention on something?"

"But-but that's impossible!" the normally composed priestess spluttered, her cheeks reddening. "I haven't agreed to anything like that! You can't just-!"

"Oh?" An eyebrow rose in delicate doubt, clearly only humouring her. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

"I-you, you're twisting my words completely! I only wanted you to be honest with me! And, besides!" Her face was getting redder by the minute – there was no way this could be anything but a very cruel joke. It wasn't that she was… averse to such a thought as an unreachable utopia, but to toy with her using this was downright heartless. This was the fantasy she denied ever having becoming clearer than reality. Unfair. "You can't be serious about this! I might not know that much about demon mating rituals, but I do happen to know that they create a lifelong bond!"

"And that is a reason for me to jest about such matters?"

"Don't try that innocent look on me – you're anything but that! You have an ulterior motive, as always, and I'm more than certain that I'm not going to like it when I find out!"

"Isn't there always an ulterior motive?" he asked, again with near innocence in his voice, playing with a few strands of her hair. "I confess you have me there, miko-sama." It was somewhat peculiar to hear him use that title for her. "Yes, I admit it; it is my intention to use your powers to help me further my goals in the Makai. Furthermore, I'm certain that Koenma will be more than happy to pay a handsome sum for your safe return… before he finds out that you will not be actually returning anytime soon. Besides, I think I won't find your presence objectionable as long as you remain entertaining, which you have thus far managed to an excellent degree without even trying. So, you see, I believe I get the most out of this bargain."

The almost brutal honesty of it startled Kagome slightly, but she recovered, shaking her head fervently, as it to clear her mind of the vision of the fox demon's triumphant and beautiful face. "Wait, wait, wait, wait! Hold on there! I haven't agreed to anything of the sort! For one thing, in case you've forgotten completely, I happen to have a jewel that half of Makai is after to protect. Secondly, even if I didn't, you seem to be far too confident that I'd agree in a heartbeat! And last of all, I'm not entirely certain that this is a kind of decision to be made based on a bargain based on your selfishness!"

"Those are justifications to those who will not be able to understand. But my selfishness is what drove me to this decision, yes."

"You – you actually admit that so easily?!"

Wasn't no more deception what she had wanted? "You misunderstand entirely. I cannot comprehend you, figure out why you are as you are, where your motives lay. You are, in that sense, the most dangerous being I have ever faced. And now you possess a power over me that influences me to a degree I do not approve of. But I want it like I want you. I will never forsake you if you consent to be mine."

"You… you actually mean that." Either that or he was the most accomplished liar she had ever met. The problem was that she wasn't exactly certain if that wasn't the case.

But the kitsune gave her a long, studious look, without even a hint of a jest. His eyes were speaking to her, telling her things she had believed to be only whispers from far-fetched dreams. And she found that she believed it. Somehow…

_This has got to be the biggest mistake of my life. Oh, wait – second biggest mistake. The first was accepting the jewel. _Kagome thought to herself.

"You… I…"

Youko saved her the effort of forming a coherent sentence by thoroughly erasing all thought from her mind with another kiss. Apparently, he had known that she couldn't possibly have refused – because she didn't want to. Because, as Kagome would realize later, when left alone, she loved him, whatever his faults or intentions. And he had been only half-serious in that admission of using her, to irk her, at which he had succeeded.

For his part, Youko faced no such internal monologues with his conscience, which he had long-since learned to silence. When he wanted something, heaven and hell help anyone who would dare stop him. And if wanting Kagome was wrong, then the person who had decided what was right and wrong could go to hell, for all he cared.

Not that it was love. Of _course_ it wasn't love. Demons felt no such human emotions. But out of the kaleidoscope of feelings a creature such as him could feel, nothing could be closer to it, overcoming the borders of such a limiting word with unparalleled grace and soaring into eternity.

X X X X X

If anyone had told Kagome that within a few short months of encountering the most feared thief in Makai, she would be sitting in a tree with him, completely fearless, if a little dazed, and allowing him to rest his head in her lap while all that was occupying her attention was that his ears were even softer than they looked, she would have called the person insane and perhaps affected by adolescent hormones. Right now, even the jewel wasn't worth bothering over. Somehow, she wasn't the priestess charged with protecting the ancient treasure when with him; she was merely Kagome, someone that could be free when she wished.

Life was unpredictable at times.

If someone had come up to Youko at the moment and offered him a one-way ticket to heaven, free of charge, he would have laughed and torn it in two in front of the person's nose. Throughout his lengthy lifetime, he had enticed and seduced enough females to make an army of them, so he was fully qualified to be able to tell that the faceless and nameless beauties – along with all their charm – were put to shame by the simplest gesture made by Kagome, that being her stroking his ears with an almost feathery touch. It was unheard of that something so trivial could be so good, but then again, if there had been a female more interested in his ears than other possible activities involving physical contact, he had no memory of it.

It was grand.

Not that he would mind if the priestess suggested that he rest his head on a higher part of her torso, mind you. But he supposed there was always another time for that. Right now, he was enjoying himself too much to even tease her with the idea, knowing how she would likely react. Besides, there were no witnesses around them, thus he was not obliged to ruin the current mood by removing the entrails of anyone who would see him as he currently was.

"Kurama?" Kagome would never, ever say it out loud, because he would either be a bit insulted or his ego would inflate – which he really didn't need – but for a deadly demon, the kitsune had amazingly adorable ears. And she was reminded of that when one of them lazily twitched, the only physical sign of him having heard her. If she didn't have something serious to say, she would have likely squealed in delight. "What happens now?"

Lazily, his brilliant gold eyes opened, and the kitsune confirmed to himself that even upside-down, Kagome was pleasing to look at. "I was hoping you would ask, as there are several alternatives and each of them is worthy of consideration." When he named a few of them, Kagome's face turned a deeper red than her hakama. Seeing her blushing with embarrassment and fury never ceased to bring a slightly arrogant smile to his face, though it was now in good fun.

"Kitsune no baka! I wasn't referring to _that_!" The priestess narrowly avoided spluttering, but couldn't quite bring herself to smacking him. Not with those cute ears in the way. His rich laugh did nothing to lessen her blush. "You know very well what I meant!"

"I had no way of knowing which meaning you preferred. Personally, I find the short-term one more appealing at the moment." Youko purred, almost like a satisfied kitten, except that there was nothing remotely innocent about it. It served to Kagome's credit that she didn't melt at the sound, but on the other hand, she lacked the experience with such things.

"Remind me again why I agreed to this whole 'abandon all previous obligations to mate a nerve-challenging kitsune' idea." In retrospect, perhaps it wasn't a good idea to ask, but she had to admit that to discover that her neck was being licked by said kitsune almost before she could finish her inquiry was a rather solid argument. "Okay, then. As you're so good at explaining things, then explain how we pull this off. I can't just hand my resignation to Koenma without a valid reason and if I tell him I want to leave Reikai for you, I'll likely find out whether or not there's an asylum in the spirit world."

"I could kidnap you again; it isn't as hard as you imagine when I have your willing cooperation." Youko didn't seem as troubled as she was, but at least he had a more serious expression now. "In any case, I need to teach you the value of an emotional threat. Tell your princeling that you deserve a reward after centuries of obedience and that releasing you from your service is the least he could do."

"But what about the jewel?" Kagome pressed on. "I can't just dump it on a random person and Miroku-sama doesn't have enough purity in him to keep it in its current state."

The kitsune eyed the faintly glowing orb around Kagome's neck with slight irritation now. Granted, he had wanted the jewel before, but now when it was within his grasp, it was simply hindering his other desires. The irony of it all.

"Yes, that puts is in a bit of a predicament. You said that it can only be obliterated by a pure wish, correct?" A nod. "I confess that if you, with your level of purity, haven't managed to think of a reasonable choice, it is slightly doubtful that I will. I am much more hedonistic than you."

Kagome sighed a bit, but no longer looked for possible deception in his words. For once, it seemed that he was telling the complete truth.

"I've been searching for the wish for centuries. I've asked hundreds of people… spent thousands of hours pondering it alone and with wiser people… all to no avail. Every wish can be interpreted differently and twisted into darkness. Sometimes I wonder if my sensei would be able to find a solution."

"Can you not ask them for counsel?" It took some time and many interventions and questions from the kitsune, but Kagome managed to explain the origin of the Shikon no Tama to him the best she could. "Ah, I see. Were it not an obstacle, I would call it fascinating. Never mind that. I will give the matter more thought than I formerly intended."

That surprised her. "You meant to think it through even before?"

"Naturally. One must always be careful what one wishes for. And you've given me more than sufficient material for a more thorough analysis in the future." The kitsune summarized, his visual attention occupied by entwining his fingers with Kagome's hair, brushing through it gently. "But that is a long-term goal. Right now, I would much rather go back to discussing our short-term occupation…"

Kagome barely had time to yelp before being rendered incapable of making any sound at all, but she doubted she would get used to the sensation of velvet caressing her whenever his tongue slowly moved along her jaw or when Youko didn't content himself with such simplicity and rendered her incapable of the slightest coherent thought as well with his lips. And she hoped she never would.

It was the pinnacle of madness…

…but then, who ever said that sanity was soothing? It was highly overrated, actually.

And in cases such as this, a hindrance only.


	26. Knowing your enemy

Chapter twenty-six, for your viewing pleasure! Right now, I'm doing pretty well on my tests, but who knows how the insanity might turn out in the end? Anyway, we're about 3 chapters away from the end of Act I, which turned out to be great fun! Heh. I'll let you guess what happens next. Naraku takes the spotlight in this one!

X X X

**Knowing your enemy**

X X X X X

Love is a symbol of eternity. It wipes out all sense of time, destroying all memory of a beginning and all fear of an end.

- Anonymous

X X X X X

At Kagome's urging, Youko returned her to the palace in Reikai, which wasn't as difficult as she had feared it might be. It turned out that their security was lax at best and abysmal at worst. She decided she didn't really want to know how exactly he had gotten hold of her so easily in the first place, because the look she received as a response to her stupefied expression was one of amused superiority.

She debated whether or not she should tell Koenma about this lack of security, but suspected that it would involve suspicious questions regarding just how she had come to that conclusion. Any answers she could provide would be awkward at best, so she decided against the idea.

Of course, this led her to another, rather more serious thought.

"You haven't taken anything from the vault, have you?" she asked, glancing at Youko.

That had her worried. Perhaps she was still a bit dazed by the turn of the night's events, or she simply knew Youko too well to expect that he had made the dangerous trip simply for her sake. He wasn't _that_ lovesick, certainly. Come to think of it, no mention of actual love had been mentioned. It was… well, more of an agreement than anything. Another reason why she was now having the slightest second thoughts, now that the madness was partially gone.

Yes, sanity was definitely overrated.

Again, she got that famous half-smirk as a response. "Unfortunately, the alarms are less sleepy there." Meaning that he had thought about it, at least. "I haven't, no. Not today." he added, obviously in good spirits, seeing her uncertain face. Slightly cold but welcoming hands traced her shoulders and back just to the edge of acceptability and he was giving her _that smile_.

"I won't even ask." At the very least, she knew what battles to pick.

From Kagome, that could be translated as the closest thing to a major step in her spiritual growth. Months ago, she would have likely been scandalized and insisted that he turn out his pockets. Yes, this arrangement had certainly been a good idea.

"That's my favourite priestess." Youko noted good-naturedly, pulling her closer. And, of course, it was always fun to see her blush at such words and then reply with the immortal line.

"I hate you." Kagome declared, maintaining eye contact with a bit of a struggle. Of course, it would have sounded more threatening without the reddened cheeks.

"I'm touched."

It seemed that Kagome realized only then that the chance of detection was growing with each passing second.

"Go, quickly, before anyone senses your presence!" she urged. Youko thought it rather unnecessary. The entire palace was deeply asleep. Right now, he could probably murder Koenma in his cradle and no one would give a damn.

"As my lady commands…" he noted dryly, partially releasing her and with a mock-bow in the priestess's general direction. "Though her scent says otherwise."

It seemed that all the blood from Kagome's body had rushed into her face to conceal her embarrassment and failed horribly at doing so. Still, it seemed that more blood also meant more brain activity, because she wisely decided not to start a verbal brawl, which would, in all likelihood, end up with her head exploding because it wouldn't be able to contain all the blood in it. Cold lips were pressed to her forehead one last time; a gesture of farewell, because Youko really wanted to stick to his intentions and leave her in Reikai, according to his logic's better judgment.

"Keep a close watch of events in Makai. We will meet again when Naraku makes his move."

"Don't kill InuYasha." Momentarily, Youko was a bit lost. Now, of all times, she was thinking of that hanyou. "Leave him to me. I think… maybe… the jewel is tied to him. And I can use it to purify his demon side… and destroy the jewel." Said jewel didn't seem to protest at all to their proximity, which was fine with the kitsune. Just to test this, he pulled her closer until only the fabric of their clothing was separating them, resting his chin in the silk of her hair and breathing deeply.

"You have my word. And Kagome?" There was a faint, dreamy "Hm?" from somewhere around his neck. "Remember where your main loyalties now lie."

But having her this close, if only for a little while, Youko refused to have greed denied and once again stole her lips in a slower – some would say more civilized – fashion. Once again, a small part of his reasoning calculated how damaging would kidnapping her now be to his plans, but reluctantly decided against it.

After all, she felt love for him – it had to be that, because it was purer than the base instincts she had thus far avoided and felt _warm_… and he _cared _about that. No, it _wasn't _a good idea to take her back now. It would quickly complicate things for both of them.

So for now, he left her, returning to his home with the memory of her dazed face and shallow breaths. She was his now, irrevocably. And it_ mattered._

_Remember where your main loyalties now lie…_

Kagome pondered those words with a grim face during breakfast. Not even the oden made as a celebration of her return, her favourite dish, could raise her spirits. The consequences of what she had agreed to were drawing on to her only now. But she also realized that she wouldn't change what had happen, even given the possibility. Perhaps it was Miroku's influence rubbing off on her; she didn't know and didn't try to find out. But she found the compared to the long weeks of hunting and being hunted, she felt… content. Happy, even. Because she was positively certain that, no matter how impossible it would seem to anyone else, Youko actually meant what he had told her, all of it.

And though she hadn't said it, there was a tiny flame of warmth within her, like a candle with a glass dome protecting it from the wind that shooed those thoughts away. She also suspected it showed somewhat, because Miroku's expression when he gave her the usual "Good morning, Kagome-sama." was at first slightly surprised and then, cheekily pleased in silent understanding.

On second thought, she really didn't want to know what was going through the monk's head. Which was just as well, because Miroku, for one, had sensed the remnants of demonic energy upon awakening and, sensing traces of them near Kagome (but without the distinct holy energy that would mean slaughter), put two and two together in a slightly more expressive fashion than what had truly happened. And, contrary to probabilities, he actually wasn't worried at all. Koenma could freak out and Sango could worry if they ever found out. Wouldn't such… actions… cost Kagome her powers? After all, purification required purity…

As his old master Mushin might have said, bollocks. Physical purity was highly overrated. Look at him – physical purity was something gone with the wind in his case and yet he could still throw a mean ofuda like the next talented and dashingly handsome immortal monk. It was the purity of the mind that counted, for certain, and he was positively sure that Kagome possessed far more of that than he did.

The only thing that was worth worrying about was that Sango had not yet graced them with her presence. Certainly, she might be upset about the one moment where his less honourable intentions got the better of him during their conversation about Kagome last night, but usually, such actions were treated with a harsh blow to his forehead on the first day and indifferent ignoring on the second. And Sango was a morning person, like all trained predators were.

When she finally entered, she seemed to be somewhat depressed – in any case, there were rings around her eyes and her normally perfectly styled hair hung loose around her shoulders.

"Sango-chan!" Kagome was the first to get up and ask what had happened. This certainly wasn't like the demon slayer.

It was more like her to answer simply. "I had nightmares, Kagome-chan, nothing so severe."

That, of course was reason enough for Miroku to jump to his feet and also approach the taijiya, though he remained wary of the arm Kagome wasn't holding. Sango was an expert when it came to hand-to-hand combat. "My dear Sango, perhaps you should sit down and tell us about it." he said in his usual light tones, showing none of his concern – an art at which Kagome failed miserably every time she tried. But this time, he had cause for concern. Sango didn't even spare him a suspicious glare – rather, it was more of a resigned glance of thanks. Now things were serious.

"It's nothing." she tried to convince them, also failing miserably. "Nothing" would hardly have reduced her to such a state when not even twelve-foot demons didn't. "Just… nightmares. I'll get over it."

"You should tell us, Sango-chan. Get it off your chest, don't try to contain it inside." And Kagome silenced the tiny voice in her mind that reminded her that she was being a perfect hypocrite. Miroku, who also noticed, decided to let it be. Sango was the priority at the moment – as she was at all times, his tiny voice of conscience, long-since silenced, spoke up.

"It was a silly nightmare." The slayer shook her head, chestnut locks brushing against Miroku's cheek, which he found likable. "But it was about you, Kagome-chan. I guess that's why I'm… well, like this." Sango gave a weak sort of laugh associated with resignation. "You were… a light that was vanishing. And there were tentacles. Black tentacles." As if that needed clarification. Kagome involuntarily shivered. "Engulfing you. And I…I couldn't save you. And then… you were gone. Just…gone."

Sango was at a loss for words, clearly, and more shaken than she would admit. Perhaps it was the frequent disappearances, perhaps it was some feeling of dread, but the recent weeks had had an impact on her. Kagome, also unable to think of anything soothing to say, embraced her friend tightly. Miroku refrained from joining in, despite some internal dilemma.

"Sango-chan…" Kagome echoed.

Contrary to the probable effect of this image on her, it gave her strength. She knew that sooner or later, she would have to face Koenma and tell him about what she intended to do. And seeing her best friend like this convinced her that it was better to do this as soon as possible. Firmly, she believed that Sango would not be against her decision, even if she didn't exactly approve of it. "It will all end well. I promise."

X X X X X

Apart from being moderately infantile, which, considering the shape he usually took, was unsurprising, Koenma was also a responsible leader. Or, at least, he strived to be one. He never outgrew his need to be respected, to be considered the big boss, which was perhaps the reason why he terrorized his ogre servants, to put it mildly, whenever they disobeyed him. But with the responsibility resting on his little shoulders and the threat of a severe punishment in the form of spankings from his nearly all-mighty giant of a father, behaviour resembling that of a secretary with ten phones ringing on her desk at the same time was hardly surprising. No one could blame him for the way he had turned out.

That was also why he shot Kagome a mildly annoyed and irritated look when she entered his office uninvited before returning to stamping away with his little seal.

Generally, his relationship with Kagome was good. The priestess had been around long enough to understand how to behave around him and he appreciated competence. Lately, he had grown somewhat frustrated with her lack of the quality he had come to be used to in her. But it was always George or one of the other ogres that received the punishment he felt like handing out for the nerves Kagome accidentally hit. The priestess was too important to all of Reikai to be punished as such, though Koenma would probably rather stamp his own death sentence than admit it.

"Make it snappy, Kagome. If you want chit-chat, go find Botan or someone with time to sit around and do small talk. I'm busy here." he said from behind his piles of paperwork after the priestess seated herself without even asking for an approval. Still, he inwardly wondered what she might want. Usually, it was Miroku who did this kind of talks, because, for all his faults, the man could talk. And that meant _really_ talk.

"This is serious, Koenma-sama, and I have to talk to you about it." Seeing that Kagome was actually being serious, Koenma focused a bit more on her and continued stamping only mechanically. Now, this was a first. Kagome with a serious problem?

"Out with it, then." the child god said grumpily.

Where was George with that fresh ink bottle? Hopefully, he'd get the right shade of red this time. Not that hot pink he got last time… the nerve of that ogre! Just to be fair, he shot Kagome an impatient glare when she appeared to be struggling to find words. But it really had to be serious if she couldn't speak her mind openly. Most of the time, she was almost as annoyingly cheerful as Botan. And where the heck was that blue-headed bubble-brain, anyway? He had sent for her ten minutes ago!

"Promise not to yell first."

Koenma raised his eyebrows. That bad? What, did she blow up half the palace while he was dozing off or something? Wasn't that Sango's job when she was pissed at Miroku?

Seeing that there was no beating around the bush, Kagome took a deep breath. "I think I've found a means of purifying the jewel."

Finally, the Reikai prince looked up rather abruptly. "But that's great news!" he almost squealed when he saw that she wasn't joking. Pushing aside the mountain of paperwork on his desk, he gave a slight whoop of joy. "So you've caught that InuWhatever hanyou, then? Great job, if I do say so myself. Well, what are you waiting for? Go do it, then, why the long face? And here I was afraid you wanted me to tell Dad you've lost it or something!"

_Depending on what I'm supposed to have lost. _"That isn't all that I wanted to tell you."

Koenma stopped his victory dance. "It's not?" he sounded a bit disappointed and a bit wary. From Miroku, it might have been a manoeuvre to soothe the blow that would come, but from Kagome… there was no telling.

"After the jewel is purified…" Kagome swallowed, but maintained her resolve. "I ask for your permission to take an indefinite leave of absence from Reikai." Such sophisticated words for such a trivial matter. She had thought this request through.

That was it? "Sure, sure, no problem, but why and where will you be going? You know I have to keep tabs on our special agents because of Dad."

"I will be going to Makai, perhaps permanently." It sounded even more insane when spoke out loud.

"Why?" Koenma asked, puzzled.

And now, she would certainly find out if the Reikai Asylum existed or not. "I'm in love with Youko Kurama."

Koenma promptly tripped and fell off his desk, a stack of paperwork collapsing on his head.

X X X X X

Though she was relatively new to the job of a top-ranking ferry girl, Botan prided herself in her conversation skills and good manners. Still, she was somehow unnerved when facing Kagewaki Hitomi and watching him read the letter she was supposed to deliver. Today, her pride was lacking. Her skills were lacking as well. And she could only blame herself.

If only she hadn't eavesdropped on the conversation! She would still have her peace of mind… but of course, she had a knack for coming at the exact wrong time.

_I'm in love with Youko Kurama._

Those words played through the blue-haired ferry girl's head over and over, spoken in an almost demure voice. Not because they applied to her, but because she had heard them spoken from the lips least likely candidate. She could still hear Koenma yelling and Kagome calmly sitting there, taking in all that was being thrown at her with a calm that would have made Miroku proud. If half the castle hadn't been paralyzed by the sound burst, then she really had no intuition.

Kagome, in love with the notorious kitsune thief that had almost killed her and tricked her numerous times. Now, Botan believed many a peculiar thing, but this… this was the grand champion. This one took the prize out of all the oddities she had ever heard.

"Come to your senses, NOW, Kagome!" Koenma had yelled once the possibility that she was joking had been dismissed. "How do you expect me to tell Dad this?! How-what are you _thinking_?! Are you even THINKING?! You can't just _run off with a demon_!"

"I meant _after_ the jewel is taken care of, Koenma-sama." Kagome retorted patiently, idly wondering how long it would take Koenma to spit out his pacifier. "It will hardly matter then, won't it?"

"It will!" Koenma yelled, stomping his little foot on the desk. "On principle! Do you have the faintest idea of how _wrong_ it would look! You are the closest thing Reikai has to a champion! Think of the consequences! Think of the spankings Dad will administer to both of us!"

"I love him. I'm certain of it."

"Pick anyone _else_! I implore you!" This time, Koenma was begging, not yelling, because he saw the conviction in her eyes. She had made herself believe in the illusion she had been pulled into. And he was doing this for her sake as well. Her disillusionment would be her downfall and she would be broken… she didn't deserve that.

"No."

"_Anyone_ but _him! Kagome, be _reasonable!"

Kagome wouldn't budge. Koenma refused to agree. But then again, his threats and please didn't seem to be able to stop her. And he didn't possess the power to send her into Heaven or Hell or anywhere beyond Reikai unless she willed it to be so, as, in essence, she was a spirit roaming the world freely.

The romantic part of Botan considered this a fairytale come true, albeit the tragic kind. She herself didn't really trust the kitsune, though she had been told he had helped save her life on one occasion.

And then, Kagome had written the letter and delegated Botan with the important task of deliver it to the dark-haired demon. Kagewaki unnerved her a bit. He was the kind of man a naïve young girl might dream of falling for – tall, dark, handsome and, for all his beauty, sinister. Mystery was intriguing but Botan found herself anxious to leave his presence, for all his infinite politeness. At the very mention of Kagome's name, his entire face seemed to start calculating something she couldn't decipher, but he held the letter with delicacy, as if afraid that he might damage it somehow.

It involved part of what they had found out and the request to remain alert, should Naraku make his move. All was written in a rather neat scrawl, as if the priestess had taken great care to make her characters recognizable. When he finished reading it, Kagewaki once again folded it neatly and returned it to the ferry girl. She seemed slightly on the edge and mentally elsewhere. Not quite what he had been expecting from a messenger.

"Are you feeling all right, Botan-san?" he asked politely, receiving a nervous, absent-minded smile in response.

"Yes, yes I am. I'm just… well, worried for Kagome-chan."

It wasn't as if she could tell Kagome or her closest friends about her worries – she wanted to be happy for Kagome. But she had to tell… someone… who wouldn't burden the priestess further or yell at her, like Koenma would. Discussing it with the other ferry girls would mean that the entire Spirit World would know it within the hour – and Kagome didn't need that. And as far as she could tell from Kagome's demeanour, she trusted this man to an extensive degree. So Botan took the – from her point of view – small gamble of telling him of her worries.

To Botan's relief, Kagewaki was a patient if stoic listener. But what she appreciated most was that he didn't once blink or look outraged or disappointed when she told him of what had transpired in Reikai. Perhaps he respected Kagome too much to allow his opinion to show; perhaps he was simply able to accept things as they were, which most people certainly wouldn't be.

When she finished, the dark-haired man offered a polite smile, quite at odds with whatever she might have expected. Botan was stunned.

"Please convey my respects to Kagome-sama and that I shall do as she asks. However, I wouldn't worry about her well-being in your place, Botan-san. Such conflicts of interest have a way of solving themselves on their own. Besides, Kagome-sama is reasonable enough to learn from mistakes, should this prove to be one."

Botan pondered that response on the way back to Reikai, even when she spoke to Kagome about the reply. She still couldn't force herself to tell the strangely serene and determined priestess that she had overheard what had been said. But, seeing her now, she started to believe it. Kagome had always been a little hectic and would normally have argued with Koenma like there was no tomorrow over everything. Now, she was… different. Weird, but good weird.

And, in the end, she supposed that was the ideal way to describe happiness.

X X X X X

The next few weeks were quiet, even by Makai standards.

Youko and Kagome both continued their daily lives, though said lives could hardly be considered normal. Koenma didn't mention the conversation with Kagome to anyone, though everyone could tell that he was silently fuming and watching the priestess's every move, refusing to even consider the possibility of sending her to Makai again. When he agreed to send the team back on patrol, he sent only Sango and Miroku, much to their suspicion. Sango, in particular, was paying attention to the sudden change in Kagome – she had been a brooding, dark version of herself before, but now, she seemed to be utterly at peace with herself.

Moreover, whenever Sango asked her what was wrong, Kagome only gave a sincere smile and said that she was simply glad to be back home.

And then there was the behaviour of the rest of the team. That houshi-sama continued to grope her whenever possible was the only sign that normalcy hadn't yet been breached, because otherwise, he was often lost in thought. Sango suspected that he, too, was concerned for Kagome, but also that he knew something she didn't, which irritated her and worried her. And then there was Botan, who kept forcing cheerfulness into her speech, though at times, she would stare at Kagome for a few moments with a disbelieving and awed expression.

In Makai, Youko waited for the signal with less than his usual patience. Kagura was bound to show up sooner or later, but he had to consider that in Naraku's place, he certainly wouldn't trust such a minion to carry out important missions. She was moderately powerful and sufficiently intelligent to carry them out well, but also fiercely independent and striving for complete independence. Not a good combination. The kitsune also fully calculated with the possibility that he would dispose of the wind witch himself after she had outlived her usefulness, once Naraku was destroyed. Kagome didn't need to know that. All she needed to know was that she wasn't returning to Reikai after this.

Kuronue was having a good time in general, because it was fun giving the female population of the encampment the "I-know-more-than-you" grin, which always annoyed them no end.

And through the mirror that Kanna always carried with her, Naraku was promptly up to date with every detail of what was going on. This was an… unexpected turn of events, to be certain, but that didn't mean it caught him off-guard. Déjà vu was the best way of describing it, from his point of view. Though at the very least, this priestess had a bit of style when choosing that lowlife existence to bind her fate to. And again, it was his move to correct the mistake made by others. The Shikon no Tama would not be used for a purpose as trivial as affection, as useless as mercy, as blind as the urge to aid others.

He was also fully aware of Kagura's weak plot to betray him; he had been for quite some time. Why didn't it concern him? Because there was no need for it; her chances of success would have been slim even if he had not found out about her treachery. As they were, it actually served his purposes well enough.

If déjà vu was what his public wanted, well… he didn't have the heart to disappoint them.

Really, he didn't.

As if nothing was going on, he summoned Kagura to his chamber. The wind witch entered fashionably late as always, but beneath her sneering indifference, there was just the slightest anxiety, visible only when one looked for it.

She was aware of the thin ice she was skating on. Good. It would ensure that she didn't disappoint.

"So what do you want this time?" she asked, her voice somewhat bored, but her face was lacking the customary smirk. One did not joke around the creature who held their heart in its hands – literally speaking.

"You will go search for the wolf demon tribe Kagome gets information from. Some of their pets have gotten close to the castle. I want them eliminated – and make it seem like the work of a large group of demons."

It took Kagura several moments to assure herself that there was absolutely no chance that he had figured the temporary alliances out and that she was simply being paranoid. Then, she scoffed. "Bah. Wolves are no challenge. Fine, I'll go." Secretly, she was glad to. Even if it hadn't been the time to put her plan in motion, she would have been nearly overjoyed to finally get out of the castle, which seemed like a prison to her on the best of days, a cage on the worst.

"Kagura." The wind witch stopped in her tracks and only reluctantly turned her head back to her "master". The look he always gave her made her feel not only naked, but weaponless and defenceless. It always felt like the moment her heart should stop forever. "Make certain that it will be noticed."

Kagura wasted not a moment. Though she flew in the general direction of where she supposed the wolf tribe still resided, she fully intended to make a beeline for the camp and then go observe the wolves from afar. From what little she knew of Youko, she was certain that the kitsune would act immediately and contact Kagome… or possibly deal with things himself, whichever he found more useful.

Kanna's mirror reflected her entire journey, her talk with the stationed scout, right until the moment when she parted ways with the demon with a deep frown on her face. She had clearly hoped to meet Youko personally, just to assure herself that it was going to work. But the service she had provided would certainly earn her the freedom she sought. The freedom to die.

Eventually.

"That will be enough, Kanna."

The white girl moved a bit, her pale fingers brushing against the mirror she held safely. The mirror that could see all. Barriers between worlds were nothing to it. Momentarily, it reflected Kagome sitting in her room in Reikai, then the two warriors, her friends, the monk and the demon slayer, who had been sent to Reikai in her stead, without her. And Naraku contemplated enhancing the drama this time – after all, what good was a tragedy only half-complete? A story only half told?

They had made the first foolish move. It was his turn now.

Kanna's expression never altered as Naraku's form changed. She was like his own mind, though she was indifferent to his motives or actions. He had few secrets from her and she didn't care. She was fully aware of what was going to happen, even though Naraku hadn't deigned it worthy of too many words. Had she any imagination, she would have called it inventive and creative. As she was, a creature of the void, she only accepted it as another string of fate he would pull.

The demon would die. And the priestess…

She would be pleading for the gates of hell to open for her once more.


	27. Of coldest crimson

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, folks! This is the last update this year, it seems! I've successfully passed my law exam, which means I can finally enjoy the holidays! Yay for me! Heh. Anyway, most of this chapter has been written long ago, but I had to tie in the events. Now, I apologize if the first part sets off a bit too quickly, but as soon as you read it, you'll understand why. now you'll finally see the first part of Naraku´s plan, mwahahaha! And KagKur shippers, please don't kill me now! Or you'll never find out what happens!

In any case, for all you fans, I'm allowing you to squeal when you see who makes his appearance for the first time ever! And he's going to be a more prominent character in the future, let me tell you!

Enjoy the super-long chapter and happy holidays!

X X X

**Of coldest crimson**

X X X X X

O rose, thou art sick!  
The invisible worm,  
That flies in the night,  
In the howling storm.

Has found out thy bed  
Of crimson joy,  
And his dark secret love  
Does thy life destroy.

- William Blake

X X X X X

Blood. It overwhelmed the senses, all of them, the quickly cooling liquid pouring from the heavy and unexpected wounds.

Blood and pain. It was all that existed.

Sango tried to move. Her hand crawled forward, almost with a life of its own, towards her sword, which, unused, lay about half a meter out of her reach. And then, more pain. Someone stepped on her wrist, hard, crushing it with more force than their weigh should allow. The pain made her eyes look up, into a face she couldn't fully see, but could clearly recognize.

She remembered all that had happened. She and Miroku – and, gods, where was he? In a frantic moment, she struggled to turn her head, but couldn't, for all the pain it caused her, but then she saw a familiar form in midnight blue and purple robes motionless on the ground beyond their attacker. It seemed he was only unconscious, but that could be just her mind frantically trying to reassure her that he was not harmed.

No more than she was.

Physical injuries they could survive, but Sango had forgotten what it felt like, to be wounded, to be on the ground. To be facing death.

They had been sent to Makai without Kagome, to investigate sudden mass demonic movement detected by their instruments. A subtle, routine mission that should have gone far smoother without the presence of the priestess, the purity that strong demons could sense from miles away. And then, before they could defend themselves…

Pain.

"Why?" Sango rasped.

She felt blood in her mouth; idly, she wondered how come a spiritual body could bleed like an ordinary human. In response, she received a beautiful, cruel smile. Anger was pumping in her veins. Not because of their defeat, not because of the fact that they were likely to die soon. It was because of the pain that would yet follow; pain that wouldn't be hers… pain that would hurt her beyond anything, because she wouldn't be able to stop it, end it.

The reason, she understood a moment later.

"You always hurt those you love, Sango-san. Ask your miko." the white demon said, delighting in her expression of fear and comprehension. And she understood all too well, both this and why Kagome had acted as she had. Then, the pressure on her wrist lifted and her sword was kicked far away.

Sango felt betrayed, hurt by the fact that Kagome hadn't confided this in her, because those words made her understand what had given the priestess the glow of peace for the past few days. It was foolish, but she had never seen Kagome so purely happy before. But that sentiment was nothing compared to the rage she felt.

Kagome would be devastated. Kagome would… she didn't even know what would happen to her friend. But if there was a rule that applied in all cases, it was that _anyone_ who hurt Kagome would get their just deserts from her and Miroku – it was something they had agreed on long ago.

The demon had vanished, not even a trace of him remaining, save for those awful plants. One of them had pierced Sango's back, she remembered with pain when she attempted to get to her knees, at least, unsuccessfully. Even if it was the last thing she ever did, even if she was to be damned for all eternity, she would avenge this treachery, right this wrong. But now… now she needed to survive. She needed to live.

"Houshi-sama." Her voice was hoarse and too quiet; it seemed that Miroku, who was at least as wounded as she was, wouldn't be responding any time soon. The situation was bad, Sango realized as she crawled on her elbows to him. With them as they were, they would be easy prey for the stray demon that might find them. And if they were devoured… she shuddered inwardly. Who knew what might become of them.

A soft meow came from somewhere to her left. It was Kirara, back in her less threatening form, moving towards her slowly. The nekomata seemed to be the one least harmed of all three of them, though she appeared to have trouble using one of her paws and there was some blood on her forehead.

"Kirara…" Sango breathed. She had little energy left. They needed help, now. "Kirara… go get… get help… from the Reikai… zone… quickly…" The taijiya felt strength leaving her. "Call… call Kagome-chan… call…" Her vision was blurred; breathing was becoming increasingly difficult. Darkness was welcoming. Kirara meowed with alarm, but Sango couldn't resist sleep any longer.

She awoke at the sound of hushed whispers. Slowly, her eyes opened and she realized that she was indoors somewhere. Standing up wasn't an option. With a deep breath, the taijiya exhaled; she wasn't dead. And then, memory returned to her, silent rage passing through her face. She didn't know where she was, but Kagome-chan had to be informed… Kagome-chan had to know…

"Sango-san; you're awake."

Raising her neck very slightly, Sango turned to the doorway, where Kagewaki Hitomi was standing, a mild frown on his otherwise impassive features. She knew the man only in passing, but Kagome-chan had spoken of him with respect, so she had no doubt where she likely was.

Where she was…

"Where is houshi-sama?" she asked, failing to disguise the panic in her voice. But she couldn't sit up just yet, though she would have liked to. Her torso was largely bandaged and she had different clothes on; her hair was loose on her pillow. Even the pain was almost gone.

Kagewaki didn't smile, but his features seemed to soften momentarily. "The houshi is safe. Your agents were fortunately not too far from the site of your injury and brought both of you to my residence, as it was closer than the Reikai base. You have a smart pet." he remarked, looking at the other makeshift bed near hers. Sango noticed that Kirara was lying there, curled into a ball, sleeping but apparently unhurt.

The taijiya exhaled in relief and allowed her head to sink back into her pillow. Kagewaki entered after he made room for a healer who came in quickly and began fussing around Sango's injuries. Sango felt strangely grateful. They were safe. They would survive. They would…

"Has Kagome-chan been told what happened to us?" Sango asked, her voice shaking slightly. Knowing Kagome, she would be flying to them the very moment she found out and force Sango to recount the horrible experience. It didn't bother Sango – or it wouldn't have, if she could only amend the one part that would hurt the most.

Sitting down at her bedside for a moment, ignoring the healer, Kagewaki nodded once. "Reikai has been sent a full report on the situation and that both you and your houshi would survive." The slayer almost felt a bit of blood rush to her cheeks, but she was too pale for it to be noticed. "I imagine Kagome-sama would be informed of such a thing. It is likely Reikai even has records of the event on those video devices of theirs, correct?"

Sango bit her lip slightly. She wasn't quite certain. "The devices monitor Ningenkai for the most part. I… I don't really know." she confessed.

"I see. But I'm certain you will be able to give a full report – you are expected to make a full recovery, Sango-san. It is highly fortunate." A full report. Sango was dreading that. And Kagewaki frowned. "I did not think it possible for demons to be able to injure two elite Reikai agents so. I assume you ran into a trap."

Grimly, Sango tried to nod. A trap if she ever saw one. Who would have expected the very environment to turn against them, after all?

"Kagewaki-san," she said. "please tell Koenma-sama that I… cannot make the report at this time."

"Why not, Sango-san?" Kagewaki asked with a frown. "I would assume Kagome-sama should be informed of the developments and she or the SDF would be dispatched to destroy the threatening demons. Such things should not be left for later. It only gives these things time to spread more fully and deeply."

"I want to do this myself." Sango said, with surprising firmness. "Kagome-chan… she wouldn't be able to bear it. She wouldn't be able to do it. But I swear I will have revenge on that demonic bastard for hurting her like this." Kagome was in _love_ with the demon. And he had made it so to hurt her like this; physical pain was nothing in comparison to that. Sango felt her blood burning.

And, surprisingly, comprehension crossed the dark-haired lord's features. "Are you saying that the one who did this to you was Youko Kurama?"

Sango blinked. "How do you know?"

Kagewaki looked away from her face for the first time with a deep frown. "Botan-san, your assistant, confided overhearing a conversation between Kagome-sama and Koenma-sama in me. I had certain doubts about the idea of Kagome-sama claiming to be in love with a demon, but I didn't believe it to be anyone's business but hers."

The taijiya's eyes widened at such information. Kagome had spoken to Koenma about this? But… that could only mean… she really was in love with the demon. Or at least she believed she was. That was the worst thing Sango could imagine to happen. She understood only then what would happen. This attack on them, combined with the disillusionment, would enrage Kagome to the degree that she would abandon caution and become easy prey…

"Kagome-chan must be warned!" Sango felt a deep pain in her lungs when she tried to get up, the healer pushing her back immediately and muttering something about impatience being the death of her.

"She will be." Kagewaki nodded grimly. "But I fear that by then, it will be too late."

X X X X X

Out of those that survived, it was doubtful that any would forget the image until their very deaths. Admittedly, in the years that would come, those deaths would be swift and they were near, but feeling the light of the arrows of purification pass so close to their skin, almost destroying their very essence, their souls, was a terrifying experience.

It was supposed to have been an almost routine scouting mission; they had been twenty, sent to patrol a particular spot because of a plan that was supposed to be carried out soon. And then, the figure of the priestess appeared… no. The arrows appeared first. Without warning or reason. The first arrow missed, almost intentionally, but the second struck the closest of the group of demons. By then, they could see the figure of the priestess, unmistakably, even though her face was shrouded in shadow, because the sun shone from behind her back.

And her voice, which they had all only heard in passing, speaking in gentle tones previously when she had been the temporary oddity in their camp, was now filled with steel and something darker. Only one word passed from her lips as another storm of arrows descended upon them.

"Die!"

The horror they had felt during the moments when they knew death was at hand, inevitable, coloured their speech when they recounted the tale to their leader. Twenty they had set out. Three returned, all at least partially wounded. How they had survived was difficult to tell. Perhaps it was purely because they had understood their chances were less than zero and chose to run rather than face the deadly attack.

Youko listened to the story with a frown, dismissing the survivors to see the healers after they were finished. The audience chamber was left empty save for him and Kuronue, who chose to remain behind and the echoes of gleeful mutterings of the harem women, who were clearly ecstatic at the very idea that Kagome had only tricked them all to conjure up a false feeling of security and had sloppily breached it like that. Their hopes were evidently renewed.

"It's a trap." Kuronue said flatly after everyone had left, knowing full well that Youko thought the same thing. He just felt like breaking the silence before it threatened to become awkward.

Both of them knew that Kagome didn't have the cold cunning to do something this and if she had, she certainly wouldn't be sloppy enough to attack without destroying her target completely – especially when her supposed target wasn't even present among those she was supposed to have attacked. If it wasn't Kagome, it was likely someone who had a keen interest in making it seem so. A common enemy.

The kitsune said nothing. Of course it was a trap. But what concerned him more was the lack of apparent motive. It was Naraku and his handiwork; that was certain. But the half-breed couldn't have expected such a blatant bluff to work on someone as experienced as him, for sure. He himself had ample experience with tricking people. This was almost obviously simple. He was missing something.

"Kagome is in danger." he said firmly, rising from his seat.

He couldn't allow that, especially since they were so close to their goal. If Naraku could change shape and form, the priestess had to be informed before something similar would happen to her. She wouldn't be able to tell the difference without knowing. They wouldn't be stopped now, not by a filthy half-breed who didn't have the courage to face them directly.

In a hundred years, they would laugh at this together, think nothing of it. But now, the danger was very real and so Youko was focused on a single simple goal; getting to Kagome.

"The men have been a bit shaken by this trap. I think sending them out to scout for Naraku isn't a good idea right now. Best wait for this to clear itself up before we do that. Make sure we have all the facts needed to make even the more gullible believe that this was a weak attempt to shake them."

"I'll go find Kagome myself." Youko said. He didn't think the pigheaded girl would listen to anyone but him and certainly he could protect her best of them all. "Keep everything here under control. It seems Naraku knows more than is good for him to know."

"You're going directly for him, then?"

The kitsune nodded. "As soon as I collect Kagome, yes."

"What are your orders in the meantime?" Kuronue asked, surprisingly dutiful in times of need. There was no room for humour in the current situation, so he appeared far more serious than usual.

"Try to raise the morale." Youko's eyes narrowed only slightly. There was a chance, however slight, that the double-cross had been a double-double-cross. "And if that wind witch comes within radius, kill her."

Kuroune nodded briskly, with grim satisfaction. "Will do."

X X X X X

Reikai was all in uproar.

The news of the horrible incident in Makai spread like wildfire once the report came in. Koenma was furious, but like Sango, underneath it all, he was most concerned for Kagome. The only creature in all of Reikai who hadn't been told anything beyond the fact that an accident had happened. The Reikai prince was half a mind to throw himself on his desk and start banging his tiny fists against the hardwood surface. He had to give out the order for extermination and he had to give it to the priestess, because his Dad would kill them if he found out about this – which was a downright scandal on its own accord.

The news of Kagome's romance with one of the most dangerous demons in Makai would have been a death sentence for all of them.

He tried to convince himself that, as it was Kagome's fault for falling in love with the treacherous bastard in the first place, it was also her duty to correct the mistake. But as the priestess entered, her worried face the image of innocence, he faltered for a moment.

He hated Youko Kurama beyond anything else in that moment, for forcing him into this position and had he the power and the courage, he would have killed the demon himself and gleefully stamped his sentence for an eternity in Limbo.

As he was telling Kagome what fate had befallen her friends, he could see the anger in her for the demon that had done it. Grim feelings swirled in him; he had yet to mention the identity of the demon.

"I have the order for extermination right here." Koenma said, taking out a sheet of paper. Kagome nodded, with clear resolution to avenge her fallen friends.

"I will set out immediately, Koenma-sama." She wasn't actually expecting a name. Usually, the demons were classified by their type rather than their names. "Just tell me what type of demon it was and where to find it. I will make certain it won't hurt anyone ever again."

Koenma squirmed slightly. It. She spoke coldly of demons she didn't know; demons she didn't believe knew that their actions were evil. Oh, that promise would have to be broken, regrettably. There was at least one person that would still be hurt by that demon. He sighed inwardly… it had to be done. He stamped the order, convinced that it was for the good of all of them.

"Kagome, this will be difficult for you, but it must be done."

"The monster hurt my friends, Koenma-sama. I need not know more." Kagome said resolutely, preparing herself for a tough battle. Anyone – any_thing_ – capable of injuring three highly skilled individuals (including Kirara) was a force to be reckoned with.

He didn't want to say it, but she'd never forgive him if he didn't. And she'd never forgive if he did.

"To hurt _you_, Kagome. The target of this attack… was to have been you." The priestess blinked, not understanding. Koenma forced himself not to falter. _Say it…! _"It was… oh, Kagome… it was _him._" _Him? _Kagome still didn't understand, which was torturous. "Youko Kurama tricked you, Kagome." Koenma finally said, quickly, perhaps hoping that if he said it quickly, she would react better. "He wanted to kill you… Sango and Miroku were rescued from the brink of death:"

"No." Kagome found her voice, one of small protest. "No, you are mistaken. You are mistaken."

"Kagome, snap out of it!" Koenma lost patience. She had to understand this and quickly – and recover even more swiftly, for duty called her. "He's a demon that has killed thousands and deceived thousands more! This _love_ you claim to have for him clearly wasn't returned – and if it was, it didn't override his own personality. He wanted you_ destroyed_, Kagome and would have taken the jewel if you had been there!"

The priestess was trembling, her eyes glassy. With heavy tears streaming down her cheeks, she abruptly rose from her seat and rushed out of the office, refusing to believe or comprehend. It wasn't the truth. It _couldn't_ be the truth. He had never explicitly stated his love for her, but she could _feel…_

Unfortunately, Koenma scurried out after her, still holding the extermination order.

"You have been ordered to exterminate the demon!" the Reikai prince shouted. "Two of our best agents – _your friends_ – have nearly been destroyed by him! He is a threat that must be eliminated and done so _now_, Kagome! That is an order!"

"No." Kagome said, her face the very image of a silent scream. Panic, hysteria… something precious being broken on an all too harsh surface. "No… no, I… I cannot! I cannot do that, I cannot, don't ask that of me!"

"Kagome!"

"_Don't_ ask that of me!"

"You can and you _will_." the Reikai prince said firmly, hoping that his sudden authoritativeness would restore some of her right mind… or at least keep her hysterics at bay. "It was what we should have done from the start. Kagome – _Kagome listen!_" The priestess was trembling, silent, her face the image of despair. "I know this is very difficult for you, but you're the only one who can do this. You were the target – you are the greatest threat to them. If you strike now and strike hard, we will end this once and for all."

Botan, who was standing nearby, couldn't watch anymore. She rushed to Kagome to take the priestess's hand, which was paler than ever.

Kagome appeared ready to faint, slumped against the wall. Finally, her knees gave out and the blue-haired ferry girl could only kneel down next to her and try to soothe her without words. It seemed as if the priestess was feverish, but her eyes were clear, filled with horror. Tears continued streaming down her pale cheeks, but she remained the image of silent fright, not even a sob escaping her throat. It was as if she couldn't comprehend the horror shown to her, didn't want to comprehend. She looked as if she were drowning.

It was more frightening than the terrible injuries the others had sustained, Botan realized. It was defeat, despair, skating on the edge of breaking down, the border of insanity.

The whole hall had stopped their daily activities, watching. Kagome was crying, which was unheard of, Botan was torn between glaring daggers at her boss and agreeing with him and Koenma spared the sight one last glance of helplessness before barking out orders to continue the daily business to all of the observers.

"Kagome-chan…" Botan trailed off, patting her friend's head in sympathy.

She herself felt a bit like crying, but more in rage and helplessness. She had _known_ that something bad would happen, but not that it would be this kind of bad. Kagome was hurt far more than the others were, no doubt. If she could find it in her heart to love a demon, it meant that she had absolute trust in him. Naïve and adorable, a blindness created by love.

A blindness that had cost her dearly.

"I cannot…" Kagome breathed into Botan's shoulder, her voice choked. "I cannot… I cannot…" And Botan understood that each time she said that, she was in fact saying "_I love him_…"

Botan had never felt hatred before, but the anger that crept into her made her believe that this was what it felt like. She hadn't known Kagome for that long, but Botan had always made friends quickly and effortlessly. And Kagome, with her belief in goodness, to be crushed like this… it made her blood boil.

And yet, all she could say was: "Yes, you can."

X X X X X

It wasn't a hard thing to accomplish, in the end, when there was no other choice. Koenma refused to talk to her about it anyway, Botan could only try to be supportive while feeling guilty because of agreeing with Koenma. Sango and Miroku… they were still recovering, which was a definite sign that the injuries had been serious. Usually, any one of them recovered from their wounds within the day, if not the hour, and it had been three days at least.

And when she had seen them, only briefly…

Believing in something she hadn't seen with her eyes was a mistake she wasn't yet making, but the opposite wasn't an option. That she didn't want to believe didn't mean that she couldn't believe. But even if she _did_ believe… that didn't mean she _could_ kill him; no. that wasn't the right word. Destroy him was far more accurate. Even if she believed, it didn't mean that she could find the strength within her.

She chose to wait, knowing that eventually, she would be found.

The moment came not late after that and she immediately get to her feet and raised her weapon. She didn't want to even see him; it was best to get this over with before she would loose all conviction.

The arrow missed; she was too slow and her hands were shaking. Even on top form, she would have had trouble taking down such an enemy with a single shot. This time, she had neither conviction nor ability. When she turned around, feeling eyes on her, she felt fear, despair and the previously suppressed warmth.

He was unarmed, which was surprising but not comforting, and his eyes seemed colder than she remembered them.

Purely on instinct, feeling the weigh of the threat, Kagome raised her bow again. "Don't come any closer!" Even her voice was almost broken and combined with her currently terrible aim, was a clear sign that Naraku had planned not to weaken them, but to deepen their natural mutual distrust of each other.

In one case, he had, apparently, succeeded.

"Kagome." he began in patient tones. Calming her was his first priority. Then, he would personally send Naraku to the deepest hells after a slow torture that would make that seem like a welcome release from the pain.

"Don't speak to me!" the priestess's voice was almost hysterical. _Orders_. Her friends, hurt. Betrayal. Crime and punishment. "Don't come near me!" Another arrow; but this time, the rose whip was in the air before it could hit, knocking it out of the way. A hold had been melted into the weapon, but it remained intact while the arrow almost exploded with the chaotic energy in it.

"You are out of your mind. What are you saying?" It was a slightly snarl-like query; somehow, even he was losing patience with her hysterical behaviour. Something was deeply wrong; Kagome had the capacity for anger, but not for revenge. This went deeper than he had believed.

"I'm saying that I was a stupid fool!" Kagome half-shouted, half-cried, and anger twisted into despair on her face. "And you knew _exactly_ how to make me believe that this actually… forget it!" She made a frustrated noise as despair morphed back into rage. Her arm was shaking rapidly as she aimed an arrow at her would-be lover, but even then, she was forcing firmness into her limbs, beating back tears that were threatening to emerge every second with brutality.

But Youko didn't crack so easily, even when under immense pressure. There was a logical explanation for everything, this including, and it was simply waiting to be unveiled. The fact that they both were ready to attack each other was a warning sign. Kagome wasn't the type to attack even a demon without a reason, but the injured men had sworn on their lives and all that was dear to them that it had been her. And, seeing her fingers grow completely white from lack of blood – so firmly she was gripping the bow – he understood that he didn't really believe that she was capable of doing that.

"Kagome, lower your bow." It was a command, not a request, and his voice alone was enough to make the priestess tighten her grip on the bow. It was a wonder the wood didn't snap beneath her fingers already. "We both know you don't really want to kill me."

The face of the priestess was almost feverishly pale at the mere mention of such a deed. But the distrust remained settled in her eyes. The faces of her friends, dying, were beginning to convince her. "

I don't believe anything you say. You once told me that I shouldn't assume anything. Now you are making that mistake." she whispered.

"You contradict yourself. If you claim not to believe me anymore, then, logically, you cannot believe my advice to be trustworthy either." Youko noted, his tone gentler, but his eyes remained wary. One look at Kagome was enough to show that she would never have had the heart to go through with this without some outward impulse.

The fox demon returned his weapon back to its original innocent-looking form and concealed it beneath his hair once more. Then, calmly, slowly, he approached Kagome, as if he were approaching a cornered animal. Her hand shook violently and she almost closed her eyes and shut them tightly. But she couldn't. There was no more conviction in her. She knew well that it might be a lie, a trick, more deception intent on destroying her… but there was his beauty, his calm, his serenity…

She couldn't do it. She never could have done it. And likely, she never would be able to do it. Her anger had long since been defeated.

Finally, Youko approached her slowly, so as not to alarm her. He gently took her by the wrist of the hand holding the bowstring and arrow in place and removed the weapon from her grasp without force. And Kagome, trembling, white-faced, finally forsook sanity as madness and almost crashed into his embrace. Perhaps the kitsune would have suspected it to be an attempt to get an even clearer shot at him, but it wasn't the case this time – her distress was genuine, as were her dry sobs.

"I'm sorry…" she breathed into his robes. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" She chanted the words like a mantra, as if it held some magic power, one that would make everything all right.

The kitsune embraced her tightly in silent reassurance, seeing that words would be of no use until she calmed down, at least partially. It took at least two minutes for her trembling to lessen and the priestess was finally able to look up into his face, though she still seemed to avoid his eyes and had no words for what she was trying to say. Manipulation being a strong suit of his, though usually used for different means, Youko knew he had to make the first move.

And saying that everything was all right would hardly be sufficient reassurance enough.

"You did nothing wrong, Kagome." He wanted to say something comforting, that he loved her, for instance, but didn't know how to give voice to such a thought. And the idea that it might come out as a lie would hurt her, hurt them both. Better to stay silent on that account. "But for the sake of not repeating this unpleasant situation, I think we should backtrack slightly." Even through her sobs, Kagome almost tried to smile at the familiar calm he was almost emitting. "Yesterday, a group of my men returned with grave injuries, claiming someone of your description with holy powers sought to destroy them. That wasn't you, correct?"

Kagome still felt as if something was being pushed deep into her windpipe, preventing her from speaking, so she only shook her head fervently, allowing the tears to flow freely.

"I-I received similar news about y-you." She couldn't describe what it felt like to see the injuries her friends, the image that haunted her.

So, it was as he had thought. Someone else was involved, a third party… and he had a very good idea who that third party – or person – was. The list of suspects was short, in any case. But out of those on the list, only one creature could lower himself to such a cowardly scheme. Kagome was still trembling all over, so the kitsune tightened his grip around her, which she seemed to find slightly reassuring.

"The time has come for stealth to give way to action." he said resolutely. They had to strike now, when they had the chance that Naraku didn't yet know what had transpired. "Don't cry, silly little miko. Once something is mine, I never relinquish it."

Kagome gave a choked sound that might have been a laugh, tightening her hold around him, if it was physically possible. They were like that for a few precious moments until her breathing calmed, but then, suddenly, the priestess tensed and almost jumped away from Youko to be able to ready her bow. Demonic energy was approaching, fast… but it was primitive, unfamiliar…

And then, the reflection of a tidal wave appeared in her wide eyes, a tsunami ready to swallow them both and bury them underneath its waters.

Demons. Large and small, powerful and weak… of all shapes and sizes, of all types and varieties… all rushing at them in a great swarm. Youko whirled around immediately, but he, too, saw that this was not going to be an easy task. Apparently, this was plan B that Naraku was utilizing. But why would he send a flock of demons at them like that? Did he hope that Kagome would panic, lose control over her powers and destroy him as well? If so, he was wrong on that account.

The priestess never even got a chance to use her powers. The demons didn't bother with battle; they simply soared towards them, as if they only meant to rush past them, but then, something unexpected happened. They ignored Youko completely – as if he wasn't even there. The swarm, though not attacking, had a different purpose and their combined physical onslaught began to push Kagome away, towards the edge of the slope.

Kagome didn't have the time to think; Youko realized their intentions a second too late. The priestess felt her balance shift even as she tried to move her feet and take a more effective stance, but then, there was only air, and she was soaring, flying, the air swirling in her hair, the wind picking up in her ears…

She saw nothing more, not that Youko fought his way to the edge of the slope in an attempt to stop the inevitable, she didn't hear anything but the wind… and then, quicker than thoughts, there was the pain and blackness, easier than the last time, like a flash of lightning. It only took a moment, but it also resulted in throwing her into a state of unconsciousness. Her soul wasn't pushed out of the body; she was still alive. Just… barely.

High above, in what could be called an explosion of flesh and roars and screams, the demons that remained were devoured and destroyed by the plants at Youko's command. He hadn't counted with this possibility; it was planned to every detail which was both remarkable and not very good.

"So, it seems you have some spirit, at least." A voice the kitsune already found irritating commented from behind.

It was a demon, more powerful than most of the group of low-lives that had attacked Kagome put together, but still not exceptionally strong, though he certainly wouldn't know that. The most prominent feature he had was his long, dark brown braided hair, reddish eyes and the small wheels attached to his feet that seemed to be what caused his power of flight.

A pawn had appeared.

"Naraku sent you." Youko assumed at once, thanks to the arrogance in the young demon's face.

"Partly right. We have a deal with him."

The fox demon frowned. "We?" So there was more than one. That meant…

A bolt of lightning from the weapon the demon carried cut through the path Youko intended to choose to get down to where Kagome had fallen. "Don't ignore me, fox. I'm your opponent right now. And you couldn't save the woman if you tried. My brother is already on his way to collect her… what is left of her."

So that was their plan. "And what do you get out of this?" Youko asked calmly, as if this was just a hypothetical discussion about something unimportant.

The thunder demon gave a wicked grin. "The Shikon no Tama, of course."

"You believe Naraku will give you the jewel?"

"Naraku will be in no position to object. He isn't here and once we have the sacred jewel, nothing will be able to stop us. Certainly not one half-breed. Enough with the discussion. Though I suppose I should tell you the name of the demon that'll kill you." the thunder youkai mused, far too cockily for his own good.

"Don't bother." A swish of the rose whip. "Such a demon has not yet been born."

Below, there was a rustle in the foliage around the dying priestess. A small head surfaced nearby, observing the sight with a child's curiosity, though with distinct fear as well. The creature was drawn towards the glowing object around the dying girl and, at the same time, repelled slightly by the strange aura around it. But the very sight of blood, red as sunset, tickling down the rocks with which she had made impact, brought back memories of dreadful things.

And then, the memory became real, the imaginary became real, as a horrible sight entered in the form of a demon familiar to the child. Bald, less human-looking than most and decidedly ugly. But the most horrible thing about him was the "decoration" he had attached to his clothing… a trophy… a pelt. The demon-child hid in the shadows of the foliage. He knew he should take revenge, not run… but he wasn't strong enough to do what he had to. He couldn't destroy Manten on his own.

The ugly demon approached the dying girl almost without fear. His cockiness could very well be his undoing, but he didn't realize that.

"Well, well, well… maybe I should ask Hiten-anchan if I can keep you." Manten said with some delight, his attention focused on the priestess' hair. "You could do wonders for my hair potion…" But as he tried to examine her hair more closely, he let out an almost shriek-like scream of pain when a pinkish lightning-like energy erupted around the body of the priestess and obviously harmed him in some way. The necklace she was wearing seemed to be the centre of the brief energy storm.

Just as Manten was blowing his slightly smoking fingers, another figure, one the demon-child didn't recognize at all, seemed to appear out of nowhere and cast a shadow over the thunder demon.

"Y-you!" Manten stuttered unwillingly. "You're not supposed to have come here!" And, quite suddenly, his initial shock evaporated. "Hiten-anchan will be very pleased when he sees that I have dealt with our problem already."

His grin vanished quickly; he fired his signature attack, the energy beam from his mouth, only to have the figure evade it effortlessly and land behind the thunder demon. And then, tentacles disrupted the illusion of a human form that the other demon maintained. Ironically, one of Manten's last thoughts was disdain that even the one that slew him happened to have rich, long jet-black hair that seemed to possess a life of its own.

"Indeed, the problem has been dealt with." the dark-haired demon commented as Manten lay dying.

Then, to the demon-child's fright, the dark-haired demon noticed another youki nearby, small but nevertheless present. His expression changed from serious to somewhat indulgent as his burgundy eyes spotted the source of the energy. A witness. He hadn't counted with that, admittedly, but it was of little consequence to him.

Actually, having a witness to this event might actually prove advantageous to his plans…

By the time Youko managed to get down to the place where Kagome had fallen, all that remained was her scent and a large, sickening puddle of blood on a large and uneven rocky surface. There was that scent in the air again… the scent of the one they had intended to hunt. He had succeeded; Naraku had tricked them both! Not only did he have the Shikon no Tama now, he actually had Kagome as well, dead or as close to dying as it was possible without actually crossing the borderline, the scent lingering in the air said.

Blood. And life was rapidly fleeing from it. It might already be too late.

In the privacy of his mind, he swore rather wickedly. The particulars of the plan were becoming clear to him. The initial plan had been a failure, so the backup plan had been put into action. And the cleverness of it surprised even him. After all, Kagome's body must have given out after such a fall and…

No, there would be no swift death for Naraku. He would enjoy this to the very last second once he found that bastard. It was only a question of which body part would be removed first, which entrails extracted in what order.

If there was one hair bent on Kagome's head by the time he found her, there would be hell to pay.


	28. Requiem for a Dream

SURPRISE!! And Happy New Year, everyone! (In a few hours, anyway, depending on where you live.) This chapter is the end of act 1, meaning that the one after that will be an intermezzo with a new twist! W00t! Originally, this story was supposed to have thirty-something chapters, but it seems that we're going to exceed that limit! Isn't that great?

I'm also sporadically working on a fine of random scenes from the story, meaning that several dramatic encounters have already been written, but may need to be edited as the story progresses.

Anyway, bad Naraku! (whacks him over the head) Doing mean things like that! This chapter is ultra-sad! I didn't bother writing the whole killing scene, because we all know how that turns out – the chapter is longer than it was supposed to be anyway and I wanted to focus on the aftermath a bit more.

X X X

**Requiem for a Dream**

X X X X X

"Love is stronger than death, even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death."

- Anonymous

X X X X X

The trail was cold this time, cooling by the very second. Even with centuries of expertise at stealth and tracking at his beck and call, Youko saw that his chances were grim at best. Naraku had obviously planned this to the very details; his energy practically vanished in the stench of Makai and Kagome's holy aura was dimming, until it was drowned by the surrounding youki as well. It was a sign that her spirit was on the brink of leaving her body.

She was on the brink of physical death.

And, with a wry, bitter mockery of a smile, Youko realized just how well Naraku's plan had worked. Not only was the priestess defenceless and in the hands of the enemy; he was actually beginning to blame himself for what had happened, something that had been unheard of… until then. Though they were stronger together than apart, Naraku saw what they didn't want to see: that they had become each other's greatest weakness. It was the true irony of things, something for which they were now beginning to pay more dearly than necessary.

Aside from Kagome's well-being, the Shikon no Tama was another thing that concerned the kitsune. He had no doubts that he would suffice when dealing with Naraku, but the jewel could prove problematic during the confrontation. For it was Kagome and her purity that kept the jewel as it was: pure and devoted to good. In the hands of Naraku, the darker side of the jewel would awaken and if he managed to use it to his own ends before he could be stopped, there would be no restoring the jewel to its original state.

It was a chase in every sense of the word, the clock ticking mercilessly. At least he had been provided with the location of Naraku's newest haven, though he had certain doubts whether Kagura's information could still be trusted. But it was a chance he had to take.

He was almost surprised to see that the castle was actually there. What was more, there seemed to be a great deal of Naraku's youki there, though Kagome and her aura were nowhere in sight. The fox demon entered through the front gates, not even bothering to hide his approach. He was expected, certainly.

But even though his anger was steel and his heart was frozen, even he stopped in his tracks when he saw the scene that had been prepared for him.

It was the wind witch, Kagura. She was the source of the jyaki, sitting – no, kneeling - in the middle of the courtyard, the smirk of superiority gone from her face for once. There were gaping holes in her torso, barely covered by her ripped kimono; faint purplish circles of power were coming out from them. Her eyes were almost misty, but when she spotted Youko, she made a brave attempt at her trademark smirk, failing miserably when she hissed in pain.

"H-hey, fox boy…" she rasped as she struggled to force the arrogant confidence in her voice. The fox demon surveyed her without any change. She was dying and fading rapidly; he didn't need to speak those words. Both knew it well.

Naraku had decided to tie all loose ends with one great swipe.

If the jyaki wasn't there, then perhaps he would have been able to do something about that, but he couldn't. It was too late for her. But it wasn't too late for Kagome.

"Where did he take the miko?" The question was harsh, direct. Filled with emotion, though it was rage. This was a first. It actually made Kagura chuckle, though a thin streak of blood erupted from her mouth, like a small snake. "Tell me and I will ease your passing."

"You've really grown soft. But only as far as _she_ is concerned, huh?" she said in a whisper, but the words came out with difficulty. What better way to die than to see the greatest of them all fall courtesy of their oldest enemy? "That girl really must be something if she got you to become her bloodhound."

Narrowed golden eyes. "Answer the question."

And Kagura only chuckled up more blood. "I'm dying, kitsune. You're in no position to threaten me, you know." she said, but the weakness of her voice took away most of the weigh of the taunt. "And I don't know where he took your Kagome. I don't particularly care anymore, either…" Blood. And, surprisingly, the witch looked more superior on the brink of death than she ever did in life, though there was a softness to her angular features that hadn't been there before. "I'm free. Free to die, yeah, but what matters is that I'm free…"

"What is Naraku planning?" There was not a shred of mercy or pity in the face of the fox demon, but Kagura didn't laugh this time. She didn't want to waste her precious energy on something so trivial, even if it brought some degree of satisfaction.

In the end, she didn't actually listen to the question. there was a calming sensation passing through her, like a gentle breeze, and she eventually realized that it was coming from within her. Embracing death was not as frightening as one would believe and she was to discover it through a relatively painless method.

Regrets? Many, but they weren't worth worrying over anymore. Hopes? They were of no consequence now. She was free; free to roam the endless steppes of Makai as the wind, never to be caught and caged again, never to be forced to do anyone's bidding. Capricious, mocking, soothing… she would be whatever she wished, with no one to stop her.

The transformation of flesh into air was a disturbing thing, but it was quick. The witch turned her head up slightly, as if she wanted to see something beyond the horizon… and then, the jyaki released from her form, she appeared to dematerialize right before the eyes of the kitsune, who saw only the empty, torn kimono drop to the ground with a soft rustle of dust, a breeze blowing it away.

Gradually, Youko became aware of another presence nearby, as soft footsteps began to echo in the dust. He sensed no presence of a demon, but he recognized the petite figure immediately – even more so, the circular mirror in her hands.

Kanna approached, her face as passive as ever, her large black eyes empty and expressionless. Surprisingly, she glanced at what remained of Kagura, who had been her sister of sorts. It seemed that she might speak, but instead, she glanced back at Youko, who was watching her with both resentment and wariness.

As before, images appeared in the mirror; the first succeeded in causing a flicker of concern to pass through even the stoic kitsune's face – it image of Kagome, still unconscious, seemingly sleeping peacefully. Her clothes weren't bloody, however, and she seemed to be indoors somewhere, with the strangest of bedfellows imaginable: curled into a ball near her head was a small red-haired kitsune kit, also apparently sleeping. Neither of them had any visible injuries, but the image was focused on the face of the priestess for the most part, so it was difficult to tell anything.

"You cannot save her."

It was an unthinkable concept, that Kanna should speak when no one had asked her to do so. But the words, as passive as her tone of voice, served only to anger Youko. He had had quite enough of these visions these traps, these insults and mockeries of his own ways.

For the first time ever, emotion – surprise, in this case – found its way into the empty eyes of Kanna, to be reflected in the dozens of sharp mirror shards that seemed to explode around her as, with one precise strike, Youko broke the mirror straight in the middle before she could even see the movement.

If Youko expected any reaction at all, he didn't wait for it. Judging by the image that had been presented to him, he had an idea where Kagome was kept and what might happen next in the second act of their gruesome tragedy. There was still time to stop it, if he acted quickly. There was still a chance to avert disaster…

Because if he was right and Naraku had actually infiltrated Reikai by some unknown means, the next logical course of action after this was to once more cast blame for Kagome's current injuries on someone else… and he rather doubted that Reikai would be as willing to understand as Kagome had proven to be.

Kanna lingered, watching the spot where he had stood for a long time before examining the broken mirror. In the end, it didn't matter. "You cannot save yourself."

But she misunderstood his intentions and perhaps Youko even misunderstood himself in that moment. For in that moment, the scales shifted and Kagome became more precious than anything he possessed.

X X X X X

Surprisingly, Kagome dreamed in her unconsciousness.

Death was strangely akin to sleep in this case, so much different than last time. She barely remembered her last time, though, but it had been something that was not possible to forget entirely, even after centuries of life. The dreams she had were somewhat different than her usual ones, as she was aware that they were only dreams, just as she vaguely remembered falling, the wind swishing through her clothes, the cold ice of the pain boring into her flesh.

She dreamed of Youko first, of the life she had never dared dream of; with him. It was a colourful image, more so than she had ever pictured it before, and she experienced a moment of bliss in believing that it might happen.

She dreamed of a normal life, an ordinary day, without anything but trivial troubles to plague her mind. She was walking around the shore of a lake she knew she should recognize, but the name escaped her somewhat. And then, she stopped to glance at her reflection with curious eyes, wondering if that was to have any significance to the images of her village – if it was her village, indeed. She believed it was, in the dream, anyway.

Her image glanced back at her, identical in every way, but she imagined that it might contain less curiosity in its eyes than the original image. And the more she gazed into the eyes, the more it seemed to her that something was odd about them. Perhaps she had only not looked into a mirror for an awfully long time or perhaps it was a trick of the light on the azure surface of the water, but for a moment, it seemed to her that she saw brown instead of blue, along with a little more sadness.

The dream ended quickly, as she realized that the image of her reflection was gone, replaced by… well, something she certainly wouldn't have been able to dream up. A large, pink balloon with eyes and something that resembled limbs (vaguely, but not quite) was making a funny face at her. The priestess tried to laugh, but something akin to a dry cough came out instead. It seemed that her eyes had conveyed the message to the funny creature, though, because a loud "Hey! You're not supposed to be up yet!" came from it.

POP!

In a puff of smoke, the balloon-like creature vanished. Kagome realized only then that it had some youki, if only an undeveloped one, and that she was still in Makai. Slowly, she sat up with some success, though it was an uncomfortable experience, and found herself looking into two large green eyes that were thoroughly unfamiliar to her, though, had she not been so tired, she would have noticed the ears first. It was a demon-child, certainly not over fifty years old, with ginger hair and a matching fox tail contrasting with his fine little outfit.

For a moment, Kagome wondered just how long she had actually slept and if she wasn't having hallucinations about hybrid fox hanyou children she had raved on about once. But the little fox was real and seemed a full demon.

"Don't try getting up just yet!" the fox pounced into her lap, surveying her with critical intelligence. Kagome was thoroughly baffled. It didn't seem that the Shikon no Tama – which was still around her neck – had any effect on the little creature. "Kagewaki-san said I'm not supposed to let you out of bed before he comes! And you're not supposed to be up now! I was trying to see which trick would cheer you up!" the kitsune grumbled, crossing his tiny arms.

"Kagewaki-san…" Kagome repeated slowly. Her thoughts were a bit muddled. She remembered a lot of demons, falling… Youko… Youko! She tried to sit up fully, but the little kit had crawled to her shoulder and even the small weigh was enough to make her reconsider that course of action. "Where are we? What happened? And who are you?"

"We're at Kagewaki-san's estate." the kitsune explained smartly. "You fell on some really sharp rocks and got hurt! The Thunder Brothers were out to get you, just like with-with my Pa." For the first time, the kitsune didn't seem so chirpy and shook his head to make himself speak again. "Kagewaki-san and his soldiers saved us and brought us here. I found you first, though." he stressed, with the slightest pride. "I'm Shippo, by the way."

"I'm Kagome." the priestess retorted, slightly stunned.

"I know who you are." Shippo said with a nod. "Pa would tell me stories about you."

"Stories?"

"Yes, nice ones, too! Some were rather bloody, but they always ended well. Pa respected Reikai, I think." Shippo said, but it was clear that he tried not to think too much about his deceased father. He spoke with keen intelligence, quite unlike a child, but there was a distinct playfulness to him as well. "So, did you like my transformation?" he asked gleefully, momentarily transforming into the big balloon again. "Or would this have been better?" the balloon vanished in favour for a giant acorn with eyes. "Or this?" A giant snake with goofy eyes and no teeth was next.

For a second, Kagome forgot her question and laughed. She would have clapped, too, but she needed her hands to support herself. "Wonderful, Shippo-chan, all of them. But I really need to get up and go see Kagewaki-san about something important…"

"No, no, they told me to have you stay here!" Shippo chimed in, shaking his head. Kagome was in no position to protest. "Besides, Kagewaki-san said he'd contact Reikai personally, so you don't need to do anything!"

"It's not that, Shippo-chan! I need to do something else, someone… someone was with me on the cliff and I need to go find him, or he'll…" What would Youko do? Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second. Certainly nothing stupid like going after Naraku himself, she hoped!

"There was no one there, Kagome." Shippo noted, "We checked and double-checked, but there was no one there. They must have run off when they pushed you off the cliff…"

_Pushed me… off the cliff? _"No, Shippo-chan, it was a swarm of low-level demons that pushed me…"

"There was no trace of any demons there, Kagome!" The little fox persisted. "And I saw you fall; only Manten came afterwards and then…" Shippo remembered blackness, but nothing more. "Then Kagewaki-san and his men came for us." he finished. "Whoever was on top of the mountain was probably too scared, cause they were really strong and came to save us!"

But Kagome refused to believe this. She firmly believed that the demons had been real… but then again, her dreams had seemed so real as well. and her eyes had been tearful, her vision blurred… but no! She remembered the moment they had embraced and the moment they had realized that it was simply a trap!

A trap…

"Shippo-chan, I need to speak with Kagewaki-san right now." the priestess said with conviction.

"But he's not here!" Shippo exclaimed when Kagome finally staggered to her feet. It felt almost as if a dagger had been plunged into her heart. "That's what I'm trying to tell you!"

"Where is he?" Kagome asked, feeling the mortification threaten to return to her heart.

"He left for Reikai hours ago!" the kitsune explained. "Said he'd go straight to some Koenma-sama and deal with this problem once and for all!"

The dagger twisted in the wound.

X X X X X

It was a rare and, unfortunately, unwelcome surprise to see Kagewaki Hitomi in his office, Koenma reflected after their meeting. He had met the daimyo before on occasion and knew him to be an acquaintance of Kagome's, but they had never spoken privately before, let alone personally. But despite having other work, the one sentence that had been spoken was more than enough to grant him a private audition with the chief administrator of Reikai.

The sentence was: "I have news of Kagome-sama."

"Well, speak then, Kagewaki-san." Koenma felt like he should squirm when probed by the strangely coloured eyes of the demon, but held the eye contact bravely. There was something distinctly eerie about the nobleman; Koenma was certain he wouldn't be the last one to ever think so. However, his thoughts were with Kagome now.

"She got wounded." Kagewaki said, obviously choosing words carefully, though the purpose of that was unclear. "As with the other agents of the Shikon Squad, my people were fortunate enough to locate her and bring her into my care."

Kagome, wounded? That was enough to gain Koenma's intent attention. Kagome was _never_ wounded. Not by demons. Not like this… "Wounded how?"

Kagewaki paused briefly in respectful silence. "I would say mortally, but that would be redundant." His smile was bitter. "Her body has been damaged to a great degree; had she been human, she would have arrived here before even myself. she will recover, however."

"Who could have done that to her?"

"That is a question I would pose to you as well, Koenma-sama. Kagome-sama was surely on a mission when attacked. Perhaps you have the answer you seek already."

The Reikai Prince was now distinctly uneasy. If he had sent Kagome to be hurt, he would not be able to face her for at least a year.

"I sent her to purify a kitsune known as Youko Kurama." he started slowly, vowing not to mention anything of Kagome's… unique involvement with the demon. "He would be my first guess; he is known to be rather elusive for a demon."

"So it would seem." Kagewaki nodded. "The injuries of Kagome-sama are somewhat reminiscent of those of Sango-san, though certainly more desperately inflicted than with the first attack. Perhaps she put up more of a fight than he expected."

Koenma was silent for a long moment. "What of the Shikon no Tama?"

"Still in Kagome-sama's possession."

A sigh of relief was something not even Koenma could hold back at this point. That would mean less spankings from Dad once word of this farce spread. "And this… demon? Did she manage to take him down?"

"That is unknown to me. I would wager a guess at a no, however, as she was unconscious when I managed to locate her."

Relief was replaced by frustration. If word spread that a demon, no matter how strong, could do this to the champion of Reikai, they were done for. It would shake their authority in Makai to the very roots.

"I must ask for your discretion in this matter, Kagewaki-san." Koenma said seriously. "You know of what importance Kagome is to my realm."

"Kagome-sama is significant to me as well. If I may, I would suggest something, your majesty."

Koenma was actually stunned for a moment. When had anyone addressed him as royalty for the last time? Certainly not in this last century or two… "Very well, go on."

"I… happen to know a bit more of your troubles with this Youko Kurama than you perhaps believe." Kagewaki's face seemed younger when a hint of sheepishness crept into it, but perhaps it was just a trick of the light. "Forgive my bluntness, but I doubt that Kagome-sama would have been able to destroy him even on top form."

There was only one explanation for this – _Botan. When I see that blue-haired bubblehead eavesdropper again…_

"Yes, well, what can I do about that? Her stubborn and stupid idealism almost got her killed this time and I don't want to risk another debacle such as this. But if word spreads…" Koenma grumbled, shuddering a bit. The spankings would be endless! "So what did you want to suggest? Speak up!"

"While only Kagome-sama can completely obliterate demons, I believe there are others up to the task of merely… disposing of them, shall we say. The Spirit Defence Force are the ones that come to mind first." Kagewaki explained, burgundy eyes glittering strangely.

Koenma blinked. His father's elite squads? They had the power, certainly, but this was bold… "They aren't under my command."

"Of course, Koenma-sama, but they are loyal to Reikai. And thus loyal to you and to Kagome-sama. Their desire will be to uphold order and avenge this… disgrace. You need not command them; you need only ask them. They will serve gladly, I'm certain."

"And Kagome?"

Kagewaki shrugged gracefully. "Kagome-sama is of hardier stock than most. She will learn from her mistakes and accept the wisdom of this decision – in time. All wounds can be healed once enough time has passed. And it will strengthen her, of that I am most certain."

Though he knew that his anger had already decided for him, Koenma still posed the final question. "And how can you be certain he will allow himself to be captured?"

Thin lips formed a smile that was not gentle or welcoming, but strangely charming nonetheless. "Because risk means gain to thieves. He stole her once. Do you not think he believes himself to be capable of doing so again?"

X X X X X

The moment Kagome returned to Reikai was supposed to be one of celebration. But it was anything but that to her. With Shippo sitting neatly on her shoulder – the kitsune had grown on her quickly and so she took him with her – she entered to an applause and a most peculiar sight. It was a rare sight to see the SDF in the administrative section… and one that frightened Kagome in this case. The soldiers all but saluted her, but it was Koenma who came forth and actually did the unthinkable – embraced her briefly, causing Shippo to jump off her shoulder, briefly transform into his balloon form and then fall down to the ground with a slight grumble.

Before the priestess had a chance to question this strange turn of events, Sango and Miroku emerged from the offices as well, both fully healed, expressions of equal relief on their faces. But it was Botan who gave a true squeal and hurled herself at Kagome into a tight and tearful embrace.

"Kagome-chan! We were so afraid! We were so afraid…!" Botan sobbed into her shoulder, mimicking Sango from months ago, but her expression was more happy than sad. "But you're okay now! Everything is all right!"

Koenma cleared his throat and the ferry girl quieted down somewhat. "Kagome, I feel I must apologize for sending you on this mission." he said solemnly, clearly meaning what he said. "I had no idea that you would be distressed about it to the degree that you would get hurt."

"Thank you, Koenma-sama, but that doesn't matter anymore." Kirara scurried in with a meow and Shippo immediately started a game with her. "What matters is that we were all tricked! You have to send me back to Makai now, so that I can fix this…!"

"There is no need for that anymore, Kagome-taichou." The captain of the SDF squad present stepped forth, bowing curtly to the priestess and Koenma. Kagome didn't understand a thing.

"What do you mean? Of course there is, there has been a dreadful mistake…!"

"It has been corrected already, Kagome-taichou." the captain reassured her, bringing forth one of the SDF – a tall, blue-haired man with the look of a somewhat arrogant but experienced warrior, though he had the sense to humble that expression somewhat when Kagome looked at him with questioning eyes and the captain introduced him. "The problem has been eliminated."

Strangely, Kagome felt a rush of relief. "Then you have done it?" she turned to the SDF soldier with a kind of frantic willingness to believe. "You've destroyed Naraku?"

The soldier gave a surprised frown and glanced at his captain momentarily. "Our squad eliminated the demon as requested." he said finally, as if hoping that was the correct answer. Obviously, he was not one to mince too many words, but the streak of pride returned to his countenance once more. "I struck the final blow personally. It can't have survived a direct hit in the form it was in."

"Forgive me, Koenma-sama," the SDF captain interjected, glancing directly at the Reikai Prince and – perhaps out of ignorance – ignoring the pointed look of warning he was being given. "But we have been told nothing about this Naraku. Considering Kagome-taichou's indisposition, I request permission for my men to complete this mission until we can be certain of her complete recovery."

Koenma_ really_ didn't like the way the relief froze on Kagome's face upon hearing this. She relinquished her hold on Botan and almost staggered towards them. Instead of asking anything, she studied the Reikai Prince's expression for a long time. This time, he really did squirm a bit, though he stood his ground.

"Who did you send them to destroy?" Kagome whispered slowly, her lower lip trembling, as if she was trying to stay still and not provoke a venomous snake into biting her. Silence was her only answer. "_Who did you send them to destroy?! Answer me!_" she screamed this time, rage turning into comprehension, which morphed into a horrified expression. The entire crowd was silent, watching in horror-struck awe as their composed priestess gave a silent wail of anguish.

It was as if a hefty dose of salt had been thrown into the wound.

"Kagome…?" Shippo whispered, watching her with great concern and fear, but she didn't seem to listen.

The jewel glimmered with an eerie light and darkened slightly beneath her robes. It felt her soul change. And the change felt as if all memory had been obliterated and one was left a dead, empty husk.

In a single moment of madness, something in her suggested that she kill anyone and everyone in the room. All of them had known… all of them had done this, let this happen…! It was their fault, their fault and he was dead, _dead_! And she loved him beyond anything because he _understood_ and _cared_ and _knew_ her more than any of them! He had been her shield against the madness of the years.

She seemed to be looking beyond Koenma, into her own reality.

Some part of her realized that Naraku had won a victory without ever raising a weapon against them that day. Another wondered if perhaps she had truly imagined those demons and all this had been a ruse. But no… it was real, all of it.

The hole in her remained.

Her eyes were empty as she finally glanced up at the soldier that had sealed this doom. And then, without warning, focusing all her physical strength, she struck the agent with all her might, actually causing him to stumble to the side and crash into the nearest table. There were slight sounds of shock coming from some parts of the room, but in a second, all was complete silence. Even Koenma felt a stab of fear at the sight of Kagome's face; not because it was full of rage, but because even the expression of utter defeat was fading into nothingness, revealing only an empty, hollow space.

In that moment, he felt he was the only one who understood that sending the SDF to pursue and pacify Youko Kurama had been a colossal mistake. For some reason, the act had crushed something in the priestess, unlike anything he had ever seen her like. He actually felt bad about being so angry with Kagome when he had found out that she actually had been mental enough to choose the one person that could destroy her to fall for. But now, he was getting the impression that this was beyond trickery, beyond infatuation, beyond mental illnesses.

This was real…

The whole room was gazing at her in silent bewilderment and the blue-haired agent was about to say something unpleasant and impertinent to her in return, but somehow, the look on her face stopped even him.

Kagome was looking at him, but not really seeing him there. She saw past him, the vision of a forest in which _he_ materialized, like an ideal illusion, a statue of some divinity that was fully alive, with his eyes of golden fire, the wind sweeping through the silvery strands of his hair like the fingers of a lover, a light smirk-smile gracing his lips. He said nothing, but words would not suffice; words were not needed. The light in his eyes was possessive but adoring and it _burned. _

It was love…or an imitation so perfect that the line between the two had been blurred.

And then, without warning, a gleam in his eyes, he turned around and proceeded to walk away from her. She would have followed, but her legs were frozen in place. She couldn't move, couldn't think; only watch. And then, as he stepped into the darkness, he was gone.

Her lips parted as if to say something, but no words came out. No words could come out and reach him. And he knew; she believed he knew what she wanted to say… even though he gave no backward glance or acknowledgement of her presence.

_I love you… I love you, don't go, please come back… you can't be gone, not now… I love you…I never even told you…_

Her knees gave away and she dropped to the ground, not bothering to stop her own fall, and her head fell down. Still, the whole hall was silent as the grave, watching her. Sango couldn't stand it any longer and rushed to her side to comfort her, but Kagome made no move. She couldn't even summon the strength to shrug her friend off.

The demon slayer picked her up by the arms and supported her weigh to bring her to her room. Kagome didn't resist, her legs walking on their own accord, her mind still in the forest… her whole determination and passion and devotion had gone with the wind. Kirara and Shippo scurried on after them.

And everyone was vaguely stunned and slightly horrified by the sight. Koenma, though feeling the same, was getting irritated by the glances George was giving him.

"Don't just stand there; everyone get to work!" he yelled at occupants of the large hall and everyone seemed to unfreeze and hasten to fulfil that order.

Only Botan slipped out of sight after cringing customarily at the trademark yell of their prince and followed after Kagome and Sango. She found them in Kagome's room; the door was unlocked and inside, the taijiya was kneeling on the ground in front of the chair where the priestess stood, her face still stoic, and Sango was attempting to talk some sense into her, not even noticing the ferry girl's quiet, anxious entrance.

"Kagome-chan, please listen to me, please… please talk to me, Kagome-chan… you cannot be certain that it really happened! The SDF can be mistaken, so unless his soul comes here for judgment, you cannot claim that there is no hope… Kagome-chan…" Shippo was there, with Kirara, watching in a frightened silence.

"Kagome-chan…" Botan joined in, earning herself a brief pleading glance from Sango as she stepped forward. "Please, we're all very concerned for you… I –I heard what you told Koenma-sama – I'm sorry about that – but I can confirm that if he was dead, his soul would have to come here, demon or not and as if it didn't, you can't make assumptions based on the words of a trigger-happy punk!" the ferry girl sped up with each word and was practically waving her fists at the end of her tirade.

_Again with those assumptions of yours! _

He wasn't dead. Something in her soul believed that. But he was gone as well, which was almost as frightening. And there had been no lie in the eyes of the agent, none at all…

"Botan-chan… Sango-chan… please…leave me…" Even her voice was hollow. "Please… Shippo-chan, go with them…"

The two women were somewhat hesitant to follow her words and protested faintly, but she repeated them again, with that same emptiness… and this time, they obeyed and left together. Sango looked thoroughly down; Botan didn't really know whether to speak or be quiet. In a moment, though, her nature won over.

"Sango-chan… will she be all right?"

"I…" Sango stopped herself, because she wanted to give the honest answer, no matter how she dreaded it. "I am unsure, Botan-chan."

"What happened to her, Sango?" Shippo piped up, scurrying to the taijiya's side. On a different occasion, Botan would have squealed with glee at the sight of such cuteness. Introductions had been made, in any case.

Sango smiled bitterly. "Love, Shippo-chan. One that was not meant to be."


	29. Crossing eternity

This, people, is the intermezzo between the acts! No dialogue in this one, just the passing of the years. I don't think many people have ever tried to capture the transformation from Youko to Kurama, so here's my two cents on the complex topic of reincarnation.

This covers all fifteen-sixteen years of their separation, at least to a certain degree. Now, there should be one more chapter of "introduction" to act 2, but I'm reasonably confident that they'll meet again soon.

By the way, I'm roughly estimating that act 2 will be somewhat shorter, though the epilogue (yes, there will be one, just like there was a prologue) will be longer than most chapters.

So sit back, enjoy the filler and expect the next chapter to be delayed, because I have my end-of-semester exams coming up at college and I really, _really_ need to study and pass them. The second half of this was already pre-written, so I didn't want to delay it too much. Did I mention I love the quotes I found?

Ja ne!

X X X

**Crossing eternity**

X X X X X

"If I am pressed to say why I loved him, I feel it can only be explained by replying: "Because it was he; because it was me."

- Montaigne

X X X X X

The first week, she cried.

It was very unlike her to waste so much energy on such an expressive form of mourning, but this time, her mood didn't waver in the least, because each time she tried, she realized just how much she had lost – she had lost another life, a chance at a different existence than one of duty, wariness and fear. The chain around her neck remained, heavier than ever.

The second week, she dreamed. She saw a thousand futures she might have had, each more improbable than the ones before. But all of them revolted around a single centre, now gone… and that made it all the more bitter. She had fits of wishing that she had never met him at all, never known that there might be an alternative to her monotonous existence as the guardian of a great evil. She was no hero, she knew, and she had no wish to be one. But choice was not a factor to consider in her case and she had been thrust into her existence as quickly as one might plunge into water.

She imagined that some degree of order might have been created in Makai if they had combined their powers. That the stage would be cleansed and made better, brighter, for all. Naïve and foolish, such hopes were, for she knew that, for all the potential for good within him, Youko was a selfish creature. At least she didn't deceive herself about that. Nor did she deny her own selfishness… she blamed him fully for her state of mind, making her worry so much, though she would have preferred to yell into his face than suffer this.

And then, during the third week, she decided she wouldn't believe it until she could find all the information she could. And so she spent hours upon hours in the archives, in front of the monitors, talking to people with an almost feverish glow in her eyes.

During this time, her companions grew worried. Kagome herself perhaps didn't even see the intensity of the change in her. Dring the second week, Sango and Miroku asked for an audience with Koenma, who unhappily agreed to that, knowing what it was to be about. The talk was brief; most of it done by Miroku, who said only that, while he agreed with the notion that Kagome should be protected, he didn't understand how they were to protect her from her own feelings.

Sango conveyed her disappointment differently. Instead of saying anything, she mirrored Kagome's move and slapped Koenma across the face, hard, the first and last person to do so.

Koenma made no rebuttal to that, if only because he hoped that facing this would take some of his self-imposed guilt off his shoulders. It didn't. He saw Kagome, who was only slowly remembering that she had not lost everything in a single blow.

In two months, finally, Kagome was allowed to re-enter the Makai.

By that time, the news had already spread. The priestess had managed to gather information that even Kuronue, whom she had hoped to find and have him assure her that something as trivial as an SDF ambush certainly couldn't take Youko down, had perished, only a few days before his leader. They had apparently gone on one quick mission to appease the men before they could set out to face the end of the conflict and it had proven fatal.

Vaguely, the priestess wondered if this had been a reason for the slip in Youko's concentration. She had learned that it had hardly been a fair fight; it had been a hunt, to the very end. In a one-on-one battle, he would have doubtlessly slaughtered the group one by one. But even Reikai knew how to fight dirty. She had been unconscious for several days and the healers had performed their best. Ultimately, it would have been better if her physical body had died that day; she could have acted quicker on her own.

Kagome met up with Kouga in a week or so and asked him for help in tracking down the demon village she had lived in for two weeks. The wolf prince consented, also seeing Kagome's morose but determined mood and after several months of intense scouting and knowledge from Kagome's memories of the place, they managed to find it. By then, it was abandoned and almost in ruins.

Only two women of the harem were still there; the first, one of those that had hated Kagome from the start, hurled herself at the priestess with hissing accusations, intent of clawing her eyes out. Kouga destroyed her before she could tear one hair out of Kagome's head; the priestess was saddened, a bit frightened by a clear display of madness, but didn't object. The other was calm, peaceful, almost, and offered them the tale when they asked for it.

As predicted, when their leader didn't return, when news spread, others sought to take over the legacy of the King of Thieves, for the good of the group or for their own ambition. None had been strong enough; none had succeeded. Eventually, the horde had been torn apart from the inside. In the absence of a strong leader, they split into camps supporting certain individuals and ended up slaughtering one another, wrecking their current home and thus ending the threat that had kept many of the wealthy and powerful sleepless and close to their treasure for centuries.

They left the ruined village soon after, as the remaining she-demon turned out to be mad in a different way, deciding to wait for Youko to return, and no amount of words could convince her of his death.

It was only a year after the "death" that Kagome managed to accept defeat in the matter.

And, to the dismay of all those who cared about her, she again retreated into the solace of her room, though this time, she would open it for visitors, playing with Shippo for hours at a time, listening to others talk to her.

Virtually everyone in the palace tried to coax the priestess out – or at least thought about doing so. Miroku and Sango stopped by often, listening at the door at times, hearing nothing, visiting and trying to convince the priestess that she need not face her self-imposed vigil alone. Even Koenma tried a few times, followed by an anxious George, but there was nothing his commands or pleas – or throwing himself on the floor and knocking with his tiny fists and feet – could do to bring Kagome out.

She couldn't have been planning to kill herself – not here, in the realm between the world of the living and the dead. Reigen couldn't die of starvation, because they consumed nutrition purely for the pleasure of doing so, not because their bodies needed it. In Reikai, they mostly shed their physical bodies and materialized the flesh again when setting out to have dealings in Makai or Ningenkai.

And then, unexpectedly, on a particular day when it had begun to be a custom to walk around her corridor as quietly as possible, Kagome left her room.

Half the ogre population of the palace almost had a heart attack when they saw her. The rest was almost equally stunned, but left it to Koenma to speak with her. And even the prince was stunned when the priestess entered his office in the midst of furious stamping. The hollow look had retreated into her eyes… but there was something cold, detached in her face. it was as if all colour had been bled from a rainbow canvas, by force. And this illusion was only supported by her choice of clothing.

Black, almost darker than her hair. From head to toe, she was dressed in a black kimono, only her stockings and sandals remaining the same. Koenma had only seen a few kuro miko in his long lifetime, but Kagome didn't resemble the dark counterpart of her profession; rather, she resembled someone who had seen all their dreams and hopes crushed in a single moment and had recovered sufficiently to return to the harshness of reality, where nothing waited for no one.

But her tone was even, her words sane. It was the image of someone who had finally come to terms with a harsh blow in life.

The wound had sealed itself; the scar remained.

Everything could be healed in time…

And so Kagome returned to her duties, resumed her usual life, spoke with her friends again, though she never again talked about what had happened. And Koenma made it known that he didn't wish anyone to hurt her by speaking of the incident again. In a decade, the scar faded somewhat. Kagome was almost as she had been before, though her eyes remained older, serious, filled with what the foolish would consider wisdom.

She also asked Sango to train her with a sword, much to the taijiya's surprise. Before, Kagome had not expressed too much interest in a bladed weapon, though Miroku had suggested to her that she should at least consider trying it out. It took years of hard training, but with surprising determination, the priestess eventually mastered swordsmanship to a degree that wouldn't be shameful to any taijiya. And, in a way, she began to mirror the lifestyle of her sensei from what seemed to be an age ago, battling demons with equal viciousness and skill.

But above all, she hunted for Naraku still, even though it seemed he had vanished into thin air.

For years, there was not a single sighting or a report about him. She didn't know what had happened to Kagura and had little knowledge of Kanna, but saw neither. Naraku himself made no further appearance and neither did InuYasha, who was probably still held captive. Kagome, at first against using the jewel to purify his demonic half, decided that it may very well be their best chance of doing so now. She was not a strategist as great as to think of a better solution than righting two wrongs, though she was willing to use the jewel to destroy Naraku, if need be. Still, she rather hoped she would get the chance to do so personally.

Due to her eavesdropping (and the fact that Koenma wanted to blame someone else for what had happened, at least partially), Botan got demoted. She remained friends with the Shikon Squad, but she could no longer consider herself one of them, much to her disappointment. Her usual duties as a ferry girl had resumed fully and she fulfilled them to the letter, if only to avoid another punishment (possibly even the dreaded spankings).

Shippo took her place, in a way.

As there was no place the kit could return to in Makai and because it was clear that he would have a hard time surviving on his own, after some coaxing, Koenma agreed to allow Kagome to keep him as her ward. It turned out that Shippo was very useful, if only because he was able to carry one person when in his balloon form, thus easing Kirara's work by a long shot. Besides, his transformations were not only amusing, but a good diversion when in battle.

Still, it didn't seem that the Shikon no Tama was affecting him in any way. Even though he travelled on Kagome's shoulder most of the time, the jewel, inches away from his little limbs, didn't as much as singe him slightly. Miroku speculated that it had something to do with Shippo not meaning to seize the jewel. Kagome didn't contribute to that particular debate.

Eventually, she even managed to resume a normal working relationship with Kagewaki Hitomi, who apologized to her "a thousand times" for giving such "faulty advice" to Koenma. No names or events were mentioned. By then, Kagome was ready to accept that it was the truth and let it go.

Even her dreams – and nightmares as well – lessened over time. It seemed that life had returned back to its usual stereotype.

Then, the swapping of Spirit Detectives came.

Kagome knew little of the humans selected to defend the Ningenkai from the demons living there. They were all in agreement that the demons residing there were too weak to cause any kind of major threat and if there were able humans residing there, those with a high amount of reiki could deal with it on their own. They didn't need any further tasks on their shoulders.

But there were whispers of those who had a fascination with demons, those who wanted to see them with their own eyes… rumour-mongering, for certain, but it never hurt to be careful, especially with the main demon slaughter event in Ningenkai coming up. Anything to keep the peace, for certain.

Anything to prevent change from happening.

X X X X X

"I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times, in life after life, in age after age forever."

- Rabindranath Tagore

X X X X X

A soul is created.

No one knows precisely how it happens, how the spark of life is given to the simplest entity, but the light of soul, the matter that moves matter, was created in the tiniest body, still unborn, still not realizing just what was happening or where it was. It didn't know its own name, what it was, or what was about to happen.

Then, there was a great push, and a bright light of another soul appeared, pushing its way forcibly into the unborn body, using the remains of its strength to anchor itself in the body. The ancient soul was far greater than the newly created one, but in its current state, lacked the strength to do exactly what he had planned to do from the beginning. The plan was to enter, anchor his soul in the body and cast out the human soul – it was not as if it knew what hit it, so it was merely a waste of material, not of anything of value. The preservation of something greater, wiser, older – namely, his soul – was far more urgent a matter.

Survival of the fittest, after all, was the only rule that demons followed to the letter.

But he was weary; the journey had taken its toll on him. Even though he had not been in the Makai at the moment of the fatal mistake, even in his present state of power, he was somehow able to pass through the Kekkai barrier, but not without sacrificing some more strength. But he had not anticipated that he wouldn't even have enough energy to knock a newborn soul out of a body that wasn't even an infant. He knew little about the more inner details of human childbirth and it had never interested him too much in the past, but times had changed.

He needed that body, period. And if he had to lower himself to sharing it with a human, so be it, because he needed rest… he needed the last of his strength for recovery, not for more battle. And so, he closed his eyes, settling comfortably next to the child, and allowed himself to drift away.

A human is born.

That was what woke him. He must have been asleep for several months. But now, the child-soul next to him was beginning to feel changes and was filled with fear. He ignored it in an absent-minded fashion. He was now somewhat prepared for what was going to happen and the only thing he found himself regretting was that he wouldn't have any means of tuning out the screams of the child as it would be born. But the two souls had somehow gotten used to each other's presence, especially as the young one had no idea that the other creature was something he would one day learn to identify as part of a symbiosis.

And then, he saw the light again, through the eyes of the child, only momentarily allowing his own golden irises to surface; whoever might have seen that attributed it to a trick of the light, likely. He saw the child through the eyes of the mother – a woman with a kind face, young still but not a child, whose very being radiated ecstasy at having a baby.

"Today is the most joyful day of my life!" he heard her cry, though the child didn't understand the words. "I'll call him… Shuichi!" And the name was fitting, and the fox demon was content.

Within the next few weeks, observing the world through his new human body, he would learn quite a few things. He learned that his name was Minamino Shuichi, that he had been born into a generally average family, and that he had lost whatever pursuers had attempted to locate him. He found out that his new form had delicate features even for a child, with large, jewel-like green eyes and the most surprising shade of red as his hair colour. That was strange, as neither of his human parents possessed such a feature, but perhaps it was one of the side-effects of this merge. As if it were a reminder of a past filed with the seductive darkness of blood…

The first few years were a trial. The limits were redefined in a more complete way than he could have imagined previously. With his current level of power, even a pathetic C class demon would have likely been able to overpower him, if it had a bit of cunning. Not only was he a child by human standards, he was also low on the power side. He used that time to get used to his human body, but as the years passed, he realized that he had made a large mistake.

The soul of the child, Shuichi, grew as well, more slowly, but took a firmer hold on his body as time passed. The fox demon had tried casting him out of his prison, but it seemed that the human body recognized its original soul and fought for it on its own accord and with his weakness; he couldn't risk losing the life force given to him by the human. He was still unable to exist without the human, but he estimated that ten human years would be sufficient for his strength to recover and then, he would be able to break his current chains.

He tested his powers gradually, when his human parents were out of sight, at first only causing the plants in their house to grow at an abrupt rate. Then, he managed to transform an ordinary rose into his whip in the back yard on the third try, which was somewhat of a relief. His human physique was still too frail to be up to the task of wielding it flawlessly, but that would be corrected soon enough. The only thing that worried him was that he should have been able to shift into his fully demonic form, but it was proving impossible. He attributed it to his human body…later, he understood that it was the fault of the soul as well.

Neither he nor the human child would likely ever forget their first conversation, which an ordinary human would have immediately labelled as a greater stage of schizophrenia. Hearing a voice speak, give command, take control and feeling oneself obeying seemed natural to Shuichi only because he had never known anything else. But gradually, he became aware that it was not actually something normal, like an imaginary friend would have been at his age, and he first began to question it at the age of four, which was a great achievement for a child.

_Who are you? _He willed the thought to reach through his mind and touch the foreign entity within. He was too young to understand the concept of madness, thus he held no hostile intentions.

The fox demon perked up slightly, realizing that he hadn't planned for his to happen. _I am you. _It was the simplest, vaguest answer.

_No, you're not. _Shuichi argued, with the innocent logic of a child, which almost formed a smile on the face of the fox demon, though he began to understand what this meant. As the soul grew, he was being pushed into the background, into a dormant position, an incorporeal advisor of a growing human child. And yet, he was still in power, in a way, because the souls, pushed close together, were no longer fighting for control in the way they had previously.

_Perhaps both._ the kitsune retorted, with a hint of the old mischief, earning a bell-like laugh from the child, who somehow saw the image of a lithe silver fox with red eyes and multiple tails, leaping through a deep forest.

_Why are you called Youko?_ The child asked, proving the growing connection between them. Their souls, the fox demon realized, were being pushed together too closely not to collide and, inevitably, they began to create a third, neutral territory they both had access to. _Isn't that just the word for what foxes turn into in a hundred years?_

But despite his general frustration and anger, the child was the only person he could talk to, thus the kitsune took the opportunity. After all, they would be spending quite some time together. _I am… was… the most famous of fox demons. Consider it a title of honour that eventually morphed into part of my name._

_I like "Kurama" better. _The child noted, with a small smile. Then, it dropped. _Why do you want to leave us?_

_Not you. You must come with me._ the kitsune retorted, catching up with the child's thinking. Picking thoughts from each other's mind was stranger than almost anything he had ever experienced. He saw that the child was about to cry and felt his wave of anger.

_No! I don't want to leave Mama. Can't we stay with Mama? Can_'_t Mama come with us? _But he knew both answers shortly after asking.

The fox demon gave a slightly harsh laugh at the childishness. Of course the human woman couldn't come with them. For her own safety; she would be torn apart in seconds in the Makai, if the shock itself didn't kill her, that is. He supposed that in that way, he actually cared for the woman. After all, she had fulfilled her duties to the letter and secured the success of his plan.

It was the first time that Shuichi argued with him. It was not the last.

But then, it happened. In foolish anger, with arrogant pride, he had refused assistance from his mother in helping with the dishes and that proved his first downfall. Such clumsiness was unparalleled for him and he spent the second of the fall berating himself for it, but before he could choose between performing a rather superhuman feat and stopping his fall or accepting the consequences of his mistake, two fragile arms caught him firmly, but his mother collapsed under his weigh and crashed into the ground and the broken dishes herself.

On the ground, he was gazing at her blankly. "Shuichi … are you hurt?" she immediately asked, ignoring the blood tickling down her forearms, ignoring her own wounds, but only looking at him, the cause of her misfortune, only worrying for his own safety.

"No, mother." he said, his mind dazed. And then, she was embracing him, whispering that she was so very glad for that, and he felt that she was in pain and wished that he could show her his abilities to heal her. But he couldn't. And… it caused him sadness. He felt something wet in the corner of his eye and realized that he was crying. His mother misinterpreted it – how could she not? – and comforted him even more.

_I'm glad… that you're all right…_

And Kagome smiled through her pain, the first creature to ever shed tears for him.

Blood and tears and feelings and memories…

And he felt no need to will himself to embrace her, the fragile creature that had spared him a minor injury, for the first time ever noticing his human heartbeat, acknowledging his kinship with her, realizing that… that he was capable of feelings for a creature that he should by all means consider beneath his notice. And he was at peace with that.

What was it about these creatures that was able to touch the far reaches of his soul that wasn't yet tainted with cruelty and precise planning? And how come that part of him still existed? It wasn't the human – not just the human – whose body he was in. It was something more, something that went beyond simple things, beyond the moment, beyond her actions… It was feeling alive knowing she still lived, breathed, feeling pain when she did, and feeling… guilt… over what had happened…

Perhaps it was that moment that sealed the merge.

Another creature was formed, though artificially, unnaturally, in the neutral territory between two souls. This being, this hybrid, began to absorb personality traits and memories from both sides of the struggle, becoming both and uniting them into one, despite their differences. He had the knowledge of many centuries from his past incarnation and was able to outwit any opponent due to his calm cruelty and emotional detachment. His mind was a multi-layered structure, combining the past and the present; his body began to remember its long training and battle movements. The energy he emitted was thoroughly demonic, with traces of human reiki here and there, though he rarely used that.

Be it in battle or in the classroom, his mind was that of the ancient spirit fox, his truest self.

But on the surface, this creature also absorbed the capacity for human emotions, detached as he might try to be – love, affection, guilt… mercy. He could choose to ignore them if they had no place in his plans, but he could nevertheless feel them. And he no longer viewed humans as inferior creatures, but as puzzles he could solve by befriending them. He became gentle and caring to the humans whom he loved, but he remained aloof and cruel to those who angered him beyond the point of forgiveness. Forgiveness was still questionable in his mind.

And it was this personality, the complete merge of the past and the present that became the dominant one. This compromise of human and demon became a creature in its own right, and, newly created as he was, he assumed the name Kurama. Over time, Shuichi became Kurama completely, without regrets, and only the ancient kitsune maintained autonomy in their hybrid mind. Being the dormant personality, he still viewed the world through Kurama's eyes and the two of them reached another compromise. They would remain as they were, merged, in one body, waiting in the human world and training and learning of the place they had never been able to enter previously, for the lifetime that had been given to them. And once Minamino Shuichi died – for die he would, as he was still half-human – they would see to it that at least the fox spirit would return to Makai to resume the life he had led, once.

Once… he was forced to assume the worst. No doubt his horde had long-since fought amongst itself or gotten caught without him. With Kuronue gone – the memory still hurt – there was nothing stopping that. Of course, Reikai agents would spread news of his demise as far and wide as they could, but that didn't matter now. Legends were hardly forgotten and easily rebuilt. And Kagome… dark thoughts regarding her were not out of place, but he resolved to discover what became of her. Without contact with other demons, he had little chance of finding out what her fate had been. For the time being, her image had to suffice, a daydream of what might have been.

And so his human childhood was almost entirely normal; he went to school, was discovered as a prodigy and thus received the best education. Most of the time, the ancient fox spirit wasn't too helpful in terms of schoolwork – usually, he gave the assignments a glance and proclaimed that it was so easy he could do it in his sleep. And to demonstrate that, he usually dozed off during schoolwork. But he took the time to laugh at the biology books at times.

Of course years later, when he was offered an unusual alliance with the promise of great treasure, part of the reason he accepted was because he hoped that it would be Kagome who would be sent to stop them. And while he looked so much different, he was eager to see her, even battle her, if only that was possible.

Perhaps that was also the reason why he had chosen to throw his lot in with the newly proclaimed Spirit Detective. He didn't remember Kagome mentioning anyone with such a position, but then again, her field of knowledge had been the Makai, not the Ningenkai any longer. And, judging by the tense look the blue-headed ferry girl he remembered from long ago got whenever his name was mentioned in conversation, it was safe to assume that it still was.


	30. The thread rejoined

Just a note: I absolutely adore this chapter, hard to write as it was! So please, be gentle with it! Thus begins act II, where all things will come to an end.

Cue Mwahaha! moment.

And W00t! Chapter 30 already? Well, this is really beginning to get interesting, no?

All that you recognize as YYH canon is, naturally, not mine… though I wish it was! Poor Kurama, he's the only one who ends up single at the end of it.

Heh.

X X X

**The thread rejoined**

X X X X X

"Trying to forget someone you love is like trying to remember someone you never met."

- Anonymous

X X X X X

"Kurama?"

Koenma was never quite certain what to make of the calm way in which the two intelligent green eyes returned to reality, not abruptly, but still immediately, as if a dream had melted into nothingness, and rested on him in response to the query. It had been some weeks since he had "hired" the latest Spirit Detective, Yusuke Urameshi – a complete brat most of the time, but with clear potential, if one could overlook his "I'm-so-tough" act, which was difficult at times.

And, unpredictably, instead of one agent, Koenma now found himself in disposal of four, each for different reasons.

His Spirit Detective had been forced into a corner and took the job to return to life. His possible sidekick – though Koenma took great care not to say that out loud, though he had yet to meet the boy in person – was doing this because of some honour code thing, then (from what they could decipher from the videos) out of puppy love for an imprisoned koorime. And then of course were the two convicts, who were serving their sentence to Spirit World by being in its service.

One would be quick to say that Hiei, who the Reikai Prince had not yet had the "pleasure" of speaking to in private, was the more dangerous of the pair. Koenma thought the exact opposite, even as the demon in the guise of a teenaged boy turned his attention to him. If there had been no demonic aspect in him, Koenma would now be woefully mourning his choice of candidates for the new Spirit Detective; on the other hand, if there wasn't a trace of a human within him, it was likely that he would be mourning the second death of his current Spirit Detective.

And Koenma also remembered what others might have written off as ancient history – and somehow, the name of one of their assailants, when he had first heard it from the report on the thieves weeks ago, had stirred up the thought of Kagome first. Fortunately, the priestess was not in Reikai at the moment and ever since the case of the four Saint Beasts, Koenma found himself taking care not to have the two of them meet just yet while scouring every possible source for any kind of background on Kurama, unsuccessfully – ever since the moment he had seen the rose whip first flash to life in the young demon's hands.

Young! Perhaps he was childlike in form and behaviour, but he had no childish mind. There was no outward sign of age on Kurama's almost unnaturally flawless features, save for his eyes, which appeared to be filled with many memories swirling, the good and the bad, thoughts of many more lifetimes than his appearance suggested. His demeanour, however, stated otherwise.

"Yes?"

At that moment, Koenma really wished there was someone else that could do this for him. For some strange reason, he almost felt that at times, Kurama could see through him without fault – and this was only their third actual meeting. The search for Yukina had ended, the koorime being safely recovered. And, as everyone had a reason to go home then, Kurama had taken up the duty of a personal report to the Reikai Prince. And this was convenient, because it gave Koenma the opportunity to start the more thorough investigation.

Koenma swallowed, but knew he had taken up this task himself. "If you don't mind me asking, there is something I'd like to discuss before you go back."

The mildest frown flickered through the fox demon's face, vanishing without a trace. "I hope there has been no problem concerning our bargain." Freedom for service. Live and let live. Not let die.

"No, not that. Actually, this might be entirely pointless, but I have to ask nonetheless." An awkward pause. Having someone listen to him in calm attention was not something Koenma was used to. Usually, he had to yell. "Years ago, we've had an… incident, you might say, that stirred up quite a bit of turmoil. It involved one of our best agents and a demon… I'm mentioning this because of the coincidence that your names almost match. So…"

"…so you're asking if, by chance, I am not the same demon that threatened your agent years ago?" There was a light smile on his face and Koenma felt himself relaxing. He was finding it amusing. Good. Hopefully, that meant that he thought it complete nonsense. "Koenma, my current body is barely sixteen years old."

_Current_ body. There was something odd about the way he said it, something that made Koenma frown. But he dismissed it as an expression to underline the obvious – it was impossible.

"It doesn't make sense, I know, forgive me. I just felt I had to ask, for Kagome's sake." A light wave of emotion passed through Kurama's face, replaced by calm almost at once; Koenma, rambling somewhat, didn't notice it. "She's my best agent; her team spends three quarters of their lives in the Makai hunting demons."

"How exactly could one demon hurt your best agent?" It was a delicate, evasive question. Again, Koenma noticed nothing.

Instead, he shook his head rather sadly. "It's a chapter of our history best left forgotten. Kagome is a miko in charge of protecting a sacred jewel that could empower a demon perhaps beyond even S-class levels. As you can imagine, that would be a catastrophe. And then, out of the blue, she comes to me, saying that she wants an indefinite leave of absence into the Makai. When I ask her why, she claims she's in love with an infamous demon thief."

And he felt the warmth that only his mother made him feel nowadays extend from the core of his being, the scene described to him right before his eyes without fail. Yet his eyes remained hard.

"So you ordered an extermination." It was no question, which Koenma noticed, even as he nodded. Briefly, he questioned the small wry smile he received in returned. There was bitterness there. "You are decisive when you need to be, Koenma. I believe I underestimated you for very long." Kurama admitted softly, respectfully.

Finally, Koenma frowned. This was double-speak, in some way he had to uncover. "I'm not sure I understand your meaning."

There was a hint of mysteriousness in Kurama's polite smile, which Koenma worked out meant that he was being serious. "It was a compliment, true and completely justified in this case."

"You haven't answered my question." Koenma said carefully, maintaining his frown. Games; weren't they always the way of foxes?

"One question leads to another and if I did, it would become the small stone that creates an avalanche." Kurama explained, very much like a wise old sage would, except there was nothing old in him, save for his eyes. "The answer you seek is no…" Relief and relaxation were unexpectedly brief in this case. "and yes."

"Explain yourself." Finally, the Reikai Prince had a voice of steel. He sought an answer, not a riddle, and a means to end his uncertainty.

And Kurama knew well when it was time for jests and when the line had been crossed. "Simply put, the soul of the demon you feared is within me, so close and for so long that he is me and I am he… but there is still a degree of differentiation between us." he explained patiently, not at all fazed by the possible danger he was in. a demon in Spirit World, a highly dangerous one, one thought long dead…

Yet he showed no fear, no concern, only patience and something that could almost be humility, but not quite.

_Clever_. Koenma thought. "You seem remarkably calm despite that." Wouldn't a human that realized a foreign presence was within them, a parasite, a creature stronger and more malevolent than them, panic? Wouldn't a human be terrified by the power within them, the memories of death and blood and darkness?

Though he didn't smile, Koenma saw that there was a blitheness in the almost blasé reply. Whatever Kurama might claim, he was now more demon than human and even the human in him was but something like a conscience now.

"We have spent countless hours together. He is more of a driving force than an alter ego. And he is trapped within me, for as long as this human body of mine exists."

"So you are a puppet of his will?"

No anger; serenity. Such a demon Koenma had never seen. In comparison to Hiei, who had only cold anger for anyone who dared question him – or insult him, as this could be considered a prime insult to a demon with pride – Kurama didn't even consider this question baiting. The contrast was almost startling; the appearance of youth and the wisdom even old age likely couldn't grant. And though he always put on a mask of business-like fuss, Koenma felt very much a child when facing the calm young man, even though they were in his realm.

"Nothing of the sort. I am Youko Kurama, as he would have been, had been born a human. I have human feelings, human thoughts, human troubles; but my core is the knowledge and personality gained from my previous incarnation as the famous demon thief."

"Such a balance seems impossible." Koenma almost muttered. He was thinking it all through, considering what had happened.

Demon souls rarely came to face judgment, because most of them were destroyed with the physical body. They were the essence of the creature; the body of a demon was very much like a materialized spirit, thus making it nearly impossible to avoid permanent death. How Kurama had done it, he didn't dare imagine.

But for Kurama, the pain was nothing more than a distant memory that he had learned to accept. There were worse things than physical anguish, even in the depths of his mind.

"Necessity and the threat of death can drive a creature to cross such a border." For a moment, he paused, swallowing, uncertain whether or not he should press on further. "Now you must answer my question."

Though Koenma had somehow expected this, he himself was surprised by the readiness with which he answered. He understood, at least, why Kagome had claimed to love this creature. "Very well, then."

"Was Naraku destroyed?" At the mention of the name, a glint passed through Kurama's eyes and Koenma realized with a startling thought that it was something from the past, like an old hatred, but disconnected with the present. It stemmed from within, not from Kurama, but from the demon spirit within him; from Youko.

"Naraku?" Again, the green eyes staring unwaveringly into his face were cold just fro an instant, until the sound of the name vanished and it was once again Kurama. "That demon hasn't appeared in years. Of course, I think Kagome still hunts him… because of you, in fact. You want to meet her, don't you."

It was unbelievable that a creature so old and wise could look like a sheepish little boy, caught trying to sneak into a girl's room by her strict father, now explaining his reasons with a light blush gracing his cheeks. And he actually managed to look dignified at the same time.

"I didn't dare mention so impertinent a desire, but you are perceptive, yes."

"I can't allow it." Surprisingly, Koenma heard sadness in his own voice when he said it.

"Why?" Kurama's voice was sharper now, but still polite. Now he was no more the boy, but a strict sensei, questioning his pupil why he couldn't complete a task that was well within his capabilities. It felt as if his gaze could dwarf even the greatest of lords. "Because of my crimes?"

"No. Even if you were entirely innocent, I couldn't allow it." Koenma shook his head, struggling to remain firm and maintain eye contact. He would not be swayed, not here, not now, not by the one he had once condemned to death. "The shock would hurt her. Moreover, she wouldn't believe that I had no idea what had happened to her. I know her too well."

"So do I." the fox demon said quietly, and it seemed that he himself didn't hear the passion behind his words.

But now that the will emitting from him had been directed elsewhere, to a memory, relinquishing its hold on his verbal sparring partner, Koenma became sceptical.

"After fifteen years of human life? I have never met you back then, Kurama, but what I knew created a different image of you in my mind than the one you have presented me with. And Kagome has changed too, more so than during the centuries before she knew you. It shamed me greatly." Deep regret came to Koenma's face; he felt very old and weary. "When she came, claiming to love you, I didn't believe her. What your intentions were and what they are now I cannot guess, but she has been broken once. Another fracture might prove irreparable."

"Whether by your will or not, I will have to speak with her eventually." Kurama said, but it seemed he understood. Perhaps it was because of his own wisdom; perhaps because he was being told that Kagome had openly claimed to love his former incarnation once. "But I wouldn't worry in your place. You didn't recognize me even when I baited you enough to plant the seed of suspicion in your mind. Even Hiei didn't trust his instincts at first when searching for me."

"I'm not sure you can put Kagome's senses into the same category, but I'll give you the benefit of doubt."

"You have me more trapped than you could have ever managed by consciously seeking to do so, Koenma." And Kurama smiled, seeing that Koenma clearly hadn't realized that he was the one with the power here, that all he, Kurama, could do, was to play the advisor, the counsellor, not make the decisions himself. "Doubting me because you don't know me only undermines the strength of our group even more."

"I don't even think the rest of our motley crew consider themselves a team." Koenma muttered, thinking of his latest discoveries in Yusuke, Kuwabara and Hiei. But he resigned – again, an obvious truth he hadn't realized was being presented to him. "Oh, very well. But I hope for all our sakes that you don't plan on waltzing in and announcing to Kagome what you've just told me. You have no idea what it was like, watching her after…"

"After your men convinced you and themselves they had slain me?" It was a bitter, almost snide comment, completely unexpected from Kurama.

"Yes."

And to Koenma's immeasurable relief, Kurama shook his head elegantly, with a light smile. "Don't worry. I'm not one to hold grudges. At least, not pointless ones." he amended. "Your order has been a mixed blessing, actually. I lost much of what I had but gained in almost equal measure. I have come back to reclaim what was mine."

"Don't mistake friendliness with naiveté." the Reikai Prince warned. "I didn't know you then, but I hope my faith in you will prove justified this time. But even if you were a hero of Reikai a dozen times over, it's beyond my allowances to give consent to a union between you and Kagome."

"She would have to give her own first." Finally, a genuine smile graced Kurama's face and, for a moment, Koenma pictured absolute sincerity through his words. "I am content with my current life, Koenma. There is no need to worry. I don't expect her to recognize me. I might not even reveal the full truth to her. I merely wish to see her again."

"She's currently on a mission in Makai. I expect her back within a few weeks. She has yet to hear about your spectacular break-in or its purpose. But I think she'll sympathize with you. But heed my words, Kurama. I cannot give her permission to abandon her quest or to enter Ningenkai."

"While the jewel exists." Kurama noted softly.

"Even if it were destroyed, the limit remains." Every time he clarified it, he regretted it, because, consciously or not, he was beginning to trust and like Kurama as a person. "She is a long-departed soul. Her place is here, not there. Besides, Dad would flay me alive." He added with a mortified expression.

_His own convenience drives him_.

"His realm, his rules. I understand." With a curt nod, Kurama stood up and moved to leave the office.

"Kurama." His hand stopped inches short of the doorknob. He didn't turn. "Stop me if you don't want to answer, but I feel I should ask…" Koenma swallowed; it was his place to ask, but he still felt he shouldn't mingle in such matters. "Do you love her?"

The answer came only after a moment of hesitation. "No. To me, she is like an image from a distant dream. I don't know her; therefore, I cannot love her."

That was understandable. "And he?"

Kurama turned his head for a moment, giving Koenma a look that seemed to say that he didn't understand the question. "He was willing to die for her; I doubt he would have done so for someone who meant nothing to him."

X X X X X

Some weeks later, on a faraway island during a gloomy night foreshadowing an even gloomier tomorrow, five people were sitting in a room of an expensive hotel. In front of them were four coffee cups, one in a bad state of breaking, one untouched and two of them empty. No one was speaking; it was the night before the beginning of what might be the last battle of their lives.

There was a knock at the door; but they had had enough of unwanted visitors for one night, so no one cared to open it. They didn't need to bother, because the door opened itself without problems and a lone figure entered. It was a young man with ginger hair, in evening clothes, as most of the guests downstairs were.

Kuwabara was the first to speak and acknowledge him. "Finally, someone with the decency to knock. If you're room service, then I'll have you know that the room security here's really crappy."

The young man frowned a bit, as if he wanted to answer far snappier than he actually did. "Actually, I'm not from room service. You're… Yusuke Urameshi's group, right?" he asked for clarification. From Kuwabara, he received a gruff nod in response, as if he couldn't believe that room service was truly incompetent in the hotel if they didn't know which guests were where. But a moment later, there was a slight swooshing sound, then a pop, and the young man was gone, a kitsune cub in its place. Shippo had narrowly managed to avoid Hiei's sword. "Yikes! You didn't have to do that, baka!"

That transformation was enough to get Kuwabara to his feet.

"Whoa! A little kid with a tail!" And he picked up a struggling Shippo by said tail. "I didn't know it was gonna be a costume party downstairs." Then, he let go with a frightened sound, because Shippo used his distraction to transform into the large goofy toothless snake; enough to scare those unused to such transformations, it seemed.

"He's a demon, you fool." Hiei commented tonelessly as Shippo dusted himself off, grumbling something under his breath. "The transformation was a kitsune trick. That's your department, fox." he added, throwing Kurama a glance.

Kurama himself smiled a bit at Shippo, because the little kitsune was eying them – and him most of all – warily now. "Please forgive their bluntness. We're Yusuke's team, yes. I'm Kurama. You came to tell us something, right?"

"I would have told you already if some people here didn't have anger management problems!" Shippo huffed. "I'm Shippo and I'm actually from Reikai."

"And I suppose you shape-shifted just for show?" Hiei's voice contained the hint of a sneer, though his face remained toneless.

"I do that for better first impressions. I'd say you know enough about being disrespected due to lack of height." Shippo said snidely before ducking out of the sword's way again with a rather cartoonish expression of terror on his face. He hadn't counted on such a swift and violent retaliation, apparently.

"Hiei, please." Kurama chided softly.

In the meantime, Kuwabara had recovered from the initial shock and was back on his feet. "But hold on a sec. Doesn't Urameshi have that communicator thingy when Botan or whoever from Reikai calls him?"

"I was just supposed to ask if you're not too tired to meet someone." Shippo shrugged, looking at Kurama, whom he had apparently pinpointed as the one with authority in the group.

"We already have one clown with us, there's no need for another." Hiei muttered.

"Clowns are scary anyway… " Kuwabara said with a nod before realizing what the fire demon meant. "Hey! Say that again in my face, shorty!"

"They don't seem tired to me." Kurama said after a moment of observing their following exchange, which involved some colourful insults that tired people clearly wouldn't have been able to muster up.

Shippo grinned a bit. "Agreed." And then, he whipped up some little communication device of his own, pressing a few buttons. A moment later, there was a sound at the door, which opened again, revealing another lone figure.

Kurama recognized her immediately, though she was much changed, as Koenma had warned him. Her eyes were wiser, her clothing was different, and there was a sadness etched into her features; but it was still Kagome, open-hearted, fearless, a vision from a waking dream. She was dressed in a black kimono that would have been more fitting for a samurai warrior than a priestess; her bow and arrows were gone, possibly because of the representative events downstairs; a polished katana with a white handle hung at her hip. In fact, the only colour in her seemed to radiate from her blue eyes, as beautiful and gem-like as the mauve sphere that hung around her neck, emitting a silvery light.

It wasn't romantic love that he felt at that moment; it was the sense of kinship and joy a person might feel when they come to the page in a gripping tale when it is revealed that the courageous hero, whom they had learned to admire, lives.

So close…yet so far. There was no recognition in her eyes, even though she must have sensed all of their energy. No wonder the kitsune had seemed so familiar – even if they had never met before.

"I did everything you asked, Kagome!" Shippo chimed in immediately, bouncing onto her shoulder.

Kagome graced him with a small smile. "Thank you, Shippo-chan. Here is your spare key. There should be sweets in the room." Her voice was a bit different, tinged with prolonged sadness, but there was the joy of life within it still. Shippo whooped, taking the key and almost forgot to transform back into his formal form when leaving the room. Then, Kagome bowed to the team, truly like a warrior would to his liege, even though she was far higher in rank than them. "Pleased to meet you all. I am…"

"Spare us the pleasantries, miko." Hiei interrupted harshly. He had been watching her with both wariness and deep revulsion for the whole time. The purity within her was making him feel nauseous. It was like staring into a fire that could swallow you whole and thus he instinctively resented it. "We know who you are."

But Kagome reacted differently than Kurama had expected she would; with a small smile, devoid of pride. "As you should, young demon. I had hoped my first meeting with the newest Spirit Detective would be different." she noted as her eyes strayed to Yusuke.

"I imagine you pictured him conscious." Kurama noted with a smile himself. There was a warmth that didn't stem from his own feelings when she looked at him, especially when, for a moment, her gaze seemed to hesitate.

"At least to a degree." she said graciously. Her eyes remained deceived and shut, or perhaps she willed them to be so. "I am Kagome, keeper of the Shikon no Tama."

"The what?" Kuwabara asked stupidly, though naturally, given that he was the only conscious person in the room who had never heard of the fabled Jewel of Four Souls.

"I'll explain later." Kurama noted to silence his questions. "Koenma must be worried if he sends you, miko-sama."

Finally, Hiei sneered with impatience at Kagome, as if to say that he respected her about as much as he did Koenma, which wasn't saying much – or even less. "He sends a hound to watch the pup, that's not too surprising. Seems he has little confidence in winning this."

"My purpose here has nothing to do with yours." Kagome clarified, sparing Hiei only a brief look. "I hunt a demon that has recently escaped into the Ningenkai. In the hope of him appearing here, where youki concentration is high, I convinced Koenma to grant me leave. Once the demon is dealt with, my group will leave."

"Gnah!" Kuwabara grimaced fearfully. The hope that had built up in him when he realized that Kagome was likely someone very powerful was snuffed out at once. "So you aren't here to help us?"

The priestess shook her head. "There are greater things at stake here. I cannot risk breaking the peace by going against the masses. But if it cheers you up, I am instructed to deal with Toguro after the tournament, particularly in the event of his team's victory." she added.

"So you came to prevent us from being surprised by your presence and from accidentally intervening with your investigation."

Again, Kagome looked at Kurama as if she was trying to remember something she had forgotten an age ago, but it escaped her before she could catch up with it.

"Correct. Though I doubt you would either way. You have enough problems to be dealing with at the moment. Still, I suppose you could consider me your welcoming committee… the only one you'll be receiving here, most likely."

"I'm certain Yusuke will regret missing out on that." Kurama noted earnestly. He decided to test one last thing; introducing them all. It was a risk, certainly, but she would have discovered his name eventually. His identity was a different matter entirely. "Kuwabara here is his friend from school; our mystery fighter I cannot introduce, because he remains a mystery even to us. You've already been… acquainted with Hiei."

"Always a pleasure to meet a demon." Kagome said with a twinkle in her eyes.

The demon only folded his arms with a look of contempt and demonstrated that he had no more interest in her by looking away. "Hn."

"And I am called Kurama."

Anyone else would have missed it; Kagome drew breath in a sharp intake, almost like a gasp, but completely silently. Again, her eyes studied Kurama as she spoke, but all that had been awoken was her curiosity, not recollection. Her eyes weren't swirling with memory; pain had dulled it long ago. But for the moment, she saw not the similarities between memory and moment, but the differences between the two that had held the name in her mind.

It was enough to convince her of the power of coincidence.

"I'll remember that." she spoke it like a vow; and it was just that. "Rest now, while you can. And a piece of advice, if you care for it: once the battle swallows you, there is no telling when it will spit you out. Or what condition you will be in once that occurs."


	31. A gamble with the truth

As I have aced my math exam (W00t! Go me!) despite me thinking that I'd botched it hopelessly, here I present you with the latest chapter! As the last one concerned mainly Kurama and his point of view on the events prior to the tournament, this one is mainly about Kagome and her perspective. I felt a bit uneasy about using the Dark Tournament as a plot device, because it felt not very professional to me – after all, many people tend to overuse that particular arc of the YYH canon and twist it ridiculously (hint: Kagome, the Super-Powerful Miko of DOOM). But I think the explanation for this decision can be found within the chapter, so I think it turned out all right.

In any case, Kagome´s black kimono is my personal little homage to Bleach, another of my favourite mangas/anime series. I love it for different reasons than IY and YYH, but I love it nonetheless, so there! And thank you Kara, for such a wonderful review. As you didn't sign it, I couldn't reply to it, but it made my day. So thankies for that.

PS: Keep your fingers crossed for me on Wednesday, people! I shall be attempting to win my driving license that fateful day! Heh.

X X X

**A gamble with the truth**

X X X X X

"No soul is desolate as long as there is a human being for whom it can feel trust and reverence."

- T. S. Eliot

X X X X X

The Dark Tournament was a display of the best and worst of the demons residing in Ningenkai. Best, because most of them were among the strongest of the non-human creatures living there, with the most exotic abilities. And worst, because they were among the most low-born spawns of the Makai, either fled from there because of their own lack of power or injured too gravely to survive there, enabling them to pass through the Kekkai without any real problems.

Kagome had been allowed to enter the Ningenkai for a different purpose entirely.

A few weeks prior to the beginning of the competition, the Reikai monitoring machines accidentally picked up more powerful fluctuations of youki in the demon world. Ironically, it was an accident that had allowed them to locate one they had so long been looking for; it was InuYasha, of all the possible creatures, having passed through the Kekkai and escaped into the wilds of Ningenkai. When Kagome heard about it, she felt hope renewed; hope of finishing what had begun all those years ago.

For if InuYasha showed up only now, it meant that he had been detained up till then. And that meant that his captor was still alive and out there, somewhere… that Naraku still existed, even though he remained invisible to the eyes of Reikai.

Of course, at first, it was obvious that she would not be permitted pursuit into Ningenkai; Kagome was fully expecting Koenma to appoint an SDF squad to retrieve the hanyou. However, she intended to make certain that, at the very least, he wouldn't be harmed when captured.

And then, Kagewaki Hitomi came up with a plan so daring and wonderful that Kagome almost literally squealed in delight when hearing about it – more so even when Koenma warily approved of it.

In the fifteen years of knowing him, the demonic daimyo had gradually taken up an important position in Kagome's hierarchy of people. They couldn't be called friends, exactly, perhaps, but perhaps it was a good thing, because through their distance from each other, both were able to depend on the other more unconditionally. Through relations with Reikai, Kagewaki's position in the Makai was reinforced. And through Kagewaki, Kagome gained much knowledge that she never would have figured out on her own.

It was a mutually beneficial symbiosis.

The plan was inwardly simple – to exploit the Dark Tournament as a means to an end. It was the most anticipated event for the demonic population of Ningenkai. All would be drawn to it, willingly or otherwise, because of the surge of youki. And InuYasha would certainly be no different. Considering that the guest team was always in the sponsorship of Reikai, why not use that as an excuse to come there – to observe the tournament?

Koenma had objected at first that there would be no way the committee of the tournament would buy that as an excuse. But, apparently, Kagewaki had all the angles covered and proposed something that shocked even the Reikai Prince, both in the positive and the negative sense of the word. The team owners – rich humans that had gained their wealth through less than honourable means – had a passion for betting their riches on their own teams.

Wasn't Koenma a team owner as well? If so, then he could participate in betting.

The wager? It wasn't as extreme as outright _getting_ the sacred jewel as a prize – rather, they would offer that one member of the tournament champion team would be allowed the possibility of fighting Kagome one on one. In the adrenaline climax of such battles, the winner would doubtless believe themselves strong enough to take on even the Shinkon no miko (in this, Kagewaki emphasized particularly that the weak demons would confuse size for strength and judge Kagome based on physical appearances). And as it was, at that point, easy to predict the victor, even if they didn't manage to capture InuYasha in the process, they would at least eliminate some dangerous and wanted demons.

Koenma couldn't argue with the logic of that.

But he would have preferred to send the rest of the Shikon Squad with Kagome, impossible as it currently was. After – literally – centuries of waiting, when a group of demonesses possessed by a parasite forced Sango into becoming one of them (this time sans lizard egg, making it a far more gruesome affair than the previous time), Miroku "saw the light", as Kagome called it, and finally asked Sango to become his wife, which the taijiya gleefully accepted. At first, they had assumed that first, they had to deal with the jewel, but Kagome urged them to be happy, jewel or not, because it wasn't certain when they would get rid of it at last.

As it would have been highly discourteous not to allow them to have at least the slightest celebration after that, the team was down to Kagome and Shippo – more than enough for those weaklings, Shippo claimed – but Koenma nevertheless asked Kagewaki to go with them, if he could, and the daimyo gave his consent to that. And out of concern, Sango asked Kagome to take Kirara with her, so that they could protect her even if they weren't with her, through Kirara. It was also a remembrance souvenir, as this was the first time in a long time that they weren't going on a mission together.

And that was how it all began.

The first moment she was in Ningenkai after an age, Kagome laughed, the first truly merry sound to come out of her in years. After centuries, she was allowed to walk in the real world, where she had come from so long ago.

Of course, her allowance didn't extend beyond the small island where the tournament would be held, but still… it was the human world.

Prior to that, she had been informed about their "team" – at least, the basics – and filled in on just how such a motley crew had been gathered. Strangely, though, Reikai was reluctant to give her most of the names, save for the Spirit Detective. Not that it mattered too much. While optimistic by nature, Kagome didn't think much of their chances in the tournament. Years ago, she would have protested against throwing away lives so needlessly. Today, she accepted it as a necessary evil. Besides, it wasn't as if their deaths would amount to nothing.

And the name… as much as it seemed a coincidence, it had stung her more than she had thought it would, though it was only a small pain after all those years. She let it go quickly, because there seemed to be nothing alike in the two people that bore the name, from what she could determine during such a short encounter.

They had been welcomed almost too graciously by the tournament committee, who immediately secured the best rooms in the resident hotel for them, a wardrobe full of modern-day clothing included, though for what reason, Kagome couldn't really figure out. She was quite comfortable in her kimono and had a spare, if need be. Besides, it wasn't as if she was there on a field trip. This was a serious mission.

Before the first day of the tournament began, she was asked "a small favour" by the committee. Meaning, to go for the grand effect, she was to "demonstrate" her powers a bit before the first battle. She accepted without question, despite believing it to be quite useless. Still, perhaps some of the demons hadn't quite heard of her.

Kagome didn't really have a flair for the dramatic in her, but she realized that her entrance into the arena was more dramatic than that of anyone else, despite her simple clothes and partially downcast eyes.

Today, she carried her bow with her, though her new sword still remained on her belt, polished and ready to be drawn. Through careful training, she had discovered that not only arrows could be imbued with the power to destroy demons and as long as she stayed focused, she could channel her power into the blade, modify the intensity of the energy and thus defend herself from melee attacks without relying on anyone else.

Her soft steps were followed by an infinite silence before she gracefully leapt into the ring, making the move seem as effortless as if the wind itself was carrying her. The moment she straightened up ever-so-slightly, the swirl of whispers resumed in the arena, as if even the otherwise impertinent demons didn't have the courage to jeer at the moment.

She stood perfectly still, observing the demons in front of her with a dispassionate gaze. Then, slowly, she gave the smallest nod to Koto, the semi-famous announcer for the tournament, who had scurried out of the priestess's way in a strangely silent way. The referee still seemed to have second thoughts about entering the area where strong purity would likely pass through within moments, but decided that as it was her show, she ought to display a bit more guts than that.

In a brave move, the kitsune scurried over to Kagome's left, taking care to keep her distance of at least a meter from the priestess and reached out with her right arm, ready to give the signal.

"I'll just remind everyone that viewers in the first few rows should be ready to take cover. Anything goes in this introductory match. So without further ado…" she glanced at the demons, unwillingly pitying them already. "Begin!"

Kagome found the exclamation very tedious, because it was obvious how this one was going to turn out. With a swift series of acrobatics, Koto vanished from the ring and ducked behind the ring, behind Kagome – hopefully, there wouldn't be any purity erupting from the reigen behind her.

In the eyes of most of the spectators, the battle was over within a matter of seconds. In the eyes of those able to follow it through, which was the minority, it was something as quick as lightning. The demons, baring their fangs and readying whatever weapons they possessed, charged at the priestess, their shouts becoming one large roar. The girl, far smaller than any of the demons, didn't move an inch, though the sound alone was enough to make most people step back and cover their ears.

In the middle of their leap, Kagome slipped two finders around the nearest arrow in her quiver and made even the usually complicated movement of preparing for a shot seem like one fluent swipe. Then, she stood stock-still again, as if she had all the time in the world to take aim. And there was really no need to aim, as the group was large and generally weak, like a swarm of bees – they could sting, but only once before dying themselves.

A strong power began to build up in the tip of the arrow, starting from nothingness, becoming a tiny point of light with a bright pinkish glow, the growing sphere resonating through the air, not as a single sound, but like a growing melody that was gaining tempo and dynamics, until finally, a split-second of silence came… and then, a gloriously bright light erupted, cleansing away all deemed impure, the symphony of screams rising into the air with a final crescendo.

And again, there was silence. No sound of bodies collapsing, blood being spilled, or anything even closely resembling the aftermath of a battle. Only the figure of the priestess, holding her weapon in front of her still, and then swinging it over her shoulder in a routine fashion, as if she had done such a thing a million times before. And perhaps that was indeed the truth.

The entire stadium was deathly silent for the duration of the long seconds. Even Kuwabara seemed to have been rendered speechless, which was saying something.

On the other side of the ring, a tall and elegantly dressed man with long black hair that could make others confuse him for Kagome's older brother picked up the fired arrow with his pale fingers. The energy within had vanished; it was no longer hazardous to the touch, not even to demons. And even from afar, everyone conscious on the guest team could clearly sense that the man was no more human than the priestess.

"That guy's pretty dangerous… no I don't wanna do my homework right now, mom." Yusuke mumbled from his sleep, turning his head slightly and snoring off again.

Kagome left the ring slowly, the demon-man approaching her with a smile that could be considered both praising and seductive, and he presented the arrow to her with a certain mocking deference in his eyes. The priestess saw none of it, or perhaps she simply chose not to acknowledge it. She took the arrow with a flick of her wrist and returned it to her quiver.

"There is no need to waste your arrows on _them_, Kagome-sama."

"Thank you, Hitomi-san." she thanked him respectfully. Kurama's slight irritation, he couldn't hear the rest of what she said, as Koto had recovered from her shock by then and was announcing what she could.

"Well… that was… certainly a… quick one!" The usually perky announcer laughed nervously. "As you had the chance to see, people, the most exciting battle of the tournament might actually be the one taking place _after_ the finals. I'd say it was a bloodbath, but boy, was that a complete lack of blood and total overdose of cool disposal or what? I love it, but I certainly wouldn't wanna experience it myself! So, let's all give it all up for Kagome-sama! And I'm told her tall, dark and handsome escort is Kagewaki Hitomi-san, quite an influential figure in Makai these days."

Kagewaki didn't react to or acknowledge the commentary, his full attention focused on Kagome. Unbeknownst to everyone else, except for Hiei, perhaps, who noticed with a twinge of suspicious surprise after a few seconds, Kurama was watching the two of them very closely when the general attention was focused elsewhere. Once Koto was finished, the moment came. That was the moment when Kagome was supposed to give a slight blush and make a teasing comment.

But the stoic beauty remained beautifully stoic, ignoring the commentary almost entirely, her eyes slightly out of focus. At least, until she felt that someone else's eyes were watching her. Somehow, she found her target without a fault, raising her head ever so slightly to allow blue to meet green.

Blinking once, twice, the priestess almost allowed herself to be shocked, but then realized that she had simply seen that kind of intelligent, serious look in the eyes of someone else before. The eyes she was looking into were different; larger, darker in colour, and, despite appearances, somewhat warmer. It was the touch of a human within, though Kagome once more felt the same thing she had sensed previously; the same feeling she got from Kagewaki, though that she had learned to tune out. The feeling signifying that the creature she was observing wasn't completely a demon, but neither was he a human… and somehow, she didn't believe that he was a hanyou.

Something was… different.

And Kurama was observing her eyes with equal curiosity, though it wasn't nearly as obvious as her reaction, which bordered on the edge of shock. Perhaps she had seen some sort of similarity with a memory she had tried to tune out, but her gaze was still filled with neither stubborn determination… nor anger… nor love. Still she didn't recognize him. And yet, there was that moment when she almost seemed to, but the rational part of her rejected any instinct of recognition.

That they were to meet now, when so much was at stake…

And she had changed so much over those few but long years of separation; and with a bitter inward laugh, he realized what had made her alter her behaviour thusly. Her movements in battle were more fluent, more peaceful, less merciful. A homage… to Youko or to theft? Or a mockery, was it? She had studied his style of combat to the tiniest detail and applied it to her weapon of choice. Or perhaps she had simply learned the importance of patience and inner calm.

It was so unlike her.

She and Kagewaki (Shippo was nowhere in sight, possibly using the opportunity of an empty hotel to raid their candy supply) didn't even stay to observe the first round of fighting; they left (though with everyone's apt attention) after their part of the bargain was done, talking to each other quietly. They were likely off to start searching for their demon, but Kurama felt some unease to see Kagome leave with such a creature. There was simply something about him…

Something more out of a distant dream than a vague memory that was familiar about the man.

However, there were other, more pressing worries in his mind than who was keeping Kagome company; moreover, the priestess could handle herself exceedingly well. He was reasonably confident that should the need arise, she would be able to purify each and _every_ demon in the stadium with one large dose of energy.

But he resolved to keep an eye on her, out of some twisted feeling of duty or perhaps simple cautiousness… and his more selfish intentions as well. During the day, he didn't have the opportunity to observe her, but after the first day of the tournament, during the night, he managed to locate her energy and follow her for a bit.

Surprisingly, she sought neither refuge in her hotel room nor the comfort of her own bed, but rather snuck out of the hotel, leaving her companions behind. She was searching – or patrolling, was it? – for something. The demon, possibly, though what kind of demon could have caused the ban on her entry to Ningenkai to be broken, he couldn't guess.

A demon or two – low-class, even for the resident ones – leapt out at her from the bushes, as if believing that she hadn't sensed them a mile away. It was a quick motion, the pulling out an arrow into her bow… but something preceded it and Kagome was left standing with the shot at the ready, but still not quite certain what to make of this. She knew the move, certainly, and saw it clearly, but couldn't guess the purpose behind it.

"Thank you, but you didn't need to step in. I would have handled it." Kagome seemed slightly surprised to see someone who wasn't out to kill her, but not ungrateful.

A small smile graced Kurama's lips as he glanced at her. "I'm certain you would have done that easily, but it wouldn't have been courteous to watch you do all the work."

"Well… thank you, I guess." She acknowledged the assistance with such awkward words because she was unused to receiving it, Kurama realized. A frown creased his brow. Where were her friends, the two comrades she used to have? "Is everything all right? You look troubled."

So, her skills of perception have improved as well. But it seemed that she attributed his distress to the tournament. That was an excellent ready-made excuse for whatever strange behaviour he might display around her, but it wasn't the truth. The truth… how might she react to the truth?

With anger? Hope? Love? Hatred? Disappointment?

Perhaps all of those things.

But he was too careful to reveal anything before having his first real conversation with her. Already he sensed that the _presence_ of Youko within him was very close to the surface, eavesdropping, perhaps, willing to steer the conversation in a way that he knew was safe.

"Might I ask what you're doing out so late on your own?" he asked instead of answering. It was always the best strategy. "The island is hardly safe, especially for you."

"Why should I be afraid when I have my personal knight in shining armour watching my back?" And, to her utter surprise, Kagome felt something tug at the corners of her mouth, forcing her to beat back the smile. She knew next to nothing about this boy… man. He was on Koenma's team, yes, but he was also a demon and clearly not one lacking intelligence. And that name… the name… still… "It doesn't matter anyway. I was just about to head back to the hotel."

That was an opportunity if he ever saw one. "Would you mind if I escorted you back, then?" he offered graciously, naturally, as if this happened daily. "After all, it's a knight's duty to protect the fair lady… although I might have forgotten the armour back home. We didn't pack too many things."

This time, Kagome couldn't hold back her smile. Whatever his intentions might or might not be, he spoke such mischief with the infinite calmness of someone with higher understanding… and she was more curious by the minute, so the priestess gave a nod without even really thinking about it. After all, sooner or later, she would have asked. She would have had to ask.

The moonlit shore was beautiful, more than it was when bathed in sunlight, because the island itself was far from fair and all seemed nicer when seen only in half-shadow. They blended very well with the night, the two figures, one dressed fully in black as always, like a samurai that stepped out of the Sengoku Jidai, save for the fact that she was, in fact, a woman; the other in a slightly more decorative Chinese fighter's outfit, only his shining red hair standing out in the darkness.

After a minute of silent promenading, the priestess broke the silence.

"I have a question." she said, without a pretext, unable to beat down the anxiety she felt anymore. "I've been meaning to ask you this before, but there wasn't the time or place for it. I apologize if this seems odd and blunt, but I was wondering…" _I need to know_. "Who gave you your name?"

_And so, round one begins._

She may have let it slide, but clearly, she wanted an answer for this. Anxiety and Kagome didn't mince well, no matter how much time had passed, it seemed.

There were so many possible answers, one wilder than the other, more improbable or unrealistic… and, the least believable of those was the truth.

"Why are you afraid of the name?" he asked, gentleness masking his true intentions. He couldn't act as if he understood her when; he was perceptive, true, but it wasn't justification enough. And she was still a stranger to him, though the image of her was painted in vibrant colours within his – their – soul.

"I'm not afraid!" Snappish. Slightly childish, but determined to be right and just. This was Kagome – the true Kagome – surfacing. But she realized what had happened and covered it up with the image of serenity. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to react that way." From the way she shook her head, it was clear that she was inwardly berating herself for such a slip of control. "But I need you to answer my question. Please."

Kurama hesitated only for a second, but there was no other way to answer her without lying outright, which she would resent later on. "My human name is Minamino Shuichi. I am called Kurama only in Spirit World records."

"Human name?" Kagome blinked. She didn't get it at all.

_Steer it away from that, _now. _Quickly_. "One question at a time. Will you answer my question in turn, Kagome-sama?"

"Kagome-san." she corrected. "We are on the same side, no?"

And it was so generous, so natural, so _her_ to offer such an equity.

"Very well, Kagome-san." Kurama amended. "But would you accept such an exchange of answers?"

Perhaps this was as in the case of Ayame the investigator and Ayame the wolf demon – a coincidence of names, a single similar trait. Nothing more.

"I've answered that question already, Kurama-san." The name was spoken with hints of delicacy, but it was doubtful that the priestess had noticed. She was left to wonder… it was a game, an answer for an answer, crossing the unknown so that they could become better acquainted without wasting years on the pleasantries their culture relished so. "But I'll give you the chance to ask a different question, if you really must."

Reluctantly, Kurama accepted the offer. "Tell me about this demon you are here to capture, then. I haven't had the chance to ask Koenma about your mission yet. Perhaps we could be of assistance to you."

"That's a generous offer, but thank you, I'll pass. You have enough on your backs to be dealing with without taking part in such a mission. Besides, the Spirit Detective and his team don't specialize in demon capture, but in demon extermination, I believe. I don't know of how much help you would be."

A mild frown once more in place, Kurama glanced at her with slight resentment, but then realized that she was right to suppose that. She still had the habit of assuming things based on appearance, though… a familiar trait he recognized.

"Is your target that strong?"

"Not in the way you mean strong, but the point of the matter is that we want to capture him, not kill him." the priestess gave a slight sigh. "That is the most difficult part of the task. Killing him would be easier, but even if it wasn't orders not to, I don't think I could do it."

"Why not?" Kagome had never had a problem with slaying demons as far as he could remember. "I don't understand why Reikai takes such an interest in a single demon. If its aim is to protect humankind, then detaining the demon, no matter how, should be your aim. Am I mistaken?"

"No, no, you are correct. If he were a demon, it would be that easy."

If he were a demon… "Explain, please." But he already had the feeling he knew who she was talking about.

Kagome lowered her head in slight shame. "InuYasha is a hanyou." she explained laconically, which was the best explanation she could give. "I have no qualms about slaying demons… but I haven't, in all my existence, ever killed a human being. He is part-human, but his demon blood has taken over his mind, leaving him in an almost permanently crazed state, so there is no reasoning with him."

"I see. You are ordered to purify him, but you are unsure what the reaction will be." Kurama summarized, receiving a slight nod as an answer. "And if he is killed as a human… but of course. He cannot be allowed to enter human society even if the demon part of him is purified. He wouldn't be able to exist in the modern world if he has existed in a primitive environment."

Again, the priestess gave a little nod. But her face had turned grim with determination. She had to fulfil this mission… though she hadn't searched for him as she had searched for Naraku, the information InuYasha might give about the demon after having his sanity restored would likely prove priceless.

"He had disappeared for some time and we didn't know where – the case had been closed for years. Then, suddenly, he resurfaced in the human world. You can imagine the danger he poses to Ningenkai. His human blood allows him to pass through the Kekkai – a painful thing, but it is possible for him. Something needs to be done." Finally, she raised her eyes to glance at Kurama. "Does that answer your question?"

"And yours as well, it seems. We will likely not be able to help you much with this." He imagined what his team-mates might be able of doing to help with the mission – none of the possibilities involved completing the task without carnage on one side.

"That's quite all right." Kagome gave her best reassuring expression. "I have to deal with this myself and finally get the case closed. "Though I seriously don't know if it's worth all the paperwork that will follow."

Briefly, the image of the Reikai offices and the ogres dashing around with stacks of papers entered Kurama's mind, Kagome frantically attempting to make her way past them. It wasn't nearly as amusing as it ought to be. "The celebration of completing a mission successfully will have to wait until after that battle, then." His words lightened the mood somewhat and, for the first time, Kagome gave a little laugh that almost made it seem that all those years had only been an unpleasant dream.

That was one way of putting it, for certain – a battle. The priestess observed Kurama with keen interest now. He was so profoundly… different.

The more human part of Kurama was a bit shy regarding the sudden change of atmosphere, despite his frequent encounters with girls attracted to him. Kagome was regarding him entirely differently, not ogling him like the giggling high school girls – though she could certainly pass for one in appearance. But she was a conflicting image, looking young while the impulse she gave out was very mature now.

When he caught her eye, Kagome looked away, he face slightly healthier-looking than the previous pallour. "Could you… could you tell me about Ningenkai? What it looks like now?" she hesitated, but then looked up, her face slightly timid, but her glance eager. "I heard that you live there… that you have for some time. I'm sorry if this is too forward."

Her hasty apology was more reminiscent of the Kagome he remembered. "It is in no way too forward, Kagome-san." Kurama noted with a kind smile. "But I would think that someone – my apologies for saying this to a lady – that someone as old as you would know all there is to know about the Three Realms."

"Hardly." Kagome said, unable to disguise her slight gloominess. "As I told Urameshi-san and his friends – well, just his friends, including you, as he was dozing off at the moment –" A low, melodic laugh that was somehow soothing before the priestess could start rambling. "I and my team-mates can only enter Ningenkai in special cases. This is, in fact, the first time I am here ever since I died." So easy to speak of it after such a long time. Too easy. "Otherwise, I am restricted to Makai and Reikai."

"I see."

It was somewhat of a cruel restriction, reminiscent of a punishment, but it was just as well. Dead souls had no business in Ningenkai, unless they were ferry girls; Kagome was far from that.

"Well, I suppose to say that a lot has changed would be an understatement. Technology and science have progressed more than they had in the past centuries and nearly all the machines in Reikai have been invented by the human populace as well." The priestess seemed a bit awed by this, but nodded to make him continue. "There have been changes in the governments of the world, though in terms of mindset, Japan remains conservative in comparison to other countries in the world." Briefly, he touched some of the major differences between the eastern and western world – Kagome was most surprised by the progress of America in the past few decades, a land that had barely been discovered when she had left Ningenkai permanently.

While he spoke as generally as he could, it was quite easy to see that their conversation would hardly be finished by the time they got to the hotel. But it was late, they had crossed half the island to get back, if not more, and the night was surprisingly cold, like a premonition of things to come. Nevertheless, Kagome couldn't remember smiling – let alone laughing, if only slightly! – this much for years. There was something soothing in Kurama, regardless of by what name he went, and she felt a strong urge to gain such calm herself, not only as a façade she feared people could see through.

She didn't think much before speaking her mind; she never did. "We should do this again sometime…! If-if you like, that is." Finally, her thoughts caught up with her tongue and she was hit with the weigh of what she was saying. "I don't think too much has changed in Makai, but I could share some news about your home… if that interests you…"

"Kagome-san." Kurama interjected before she could say something she would perhaps be embarrassed about later. Kagome promptly fell silent, waiting. "I would be most honoured if you care to spend some of your free time in my presence during this mission." Nothing he had said that night had been truer than that statement. He had never lost confidence in the fact that he could speak to her and slowly prepare her for the revelation, but seeing that she was already viewing him with some degree of amiable feeling was more than he had hoped for.

And then, the cream of the crop, the last thing needed to convince him that there was yet a chance to set things right happened. A happiness that was entirely genuine filled Kagome's face – not as a smile or a laugh would, but as a feeling, subconscious emotion drifting to the surface. It was as glorious as the first sunrise he had ever seen.

She called him "Kurama-san" again when saying her goodbyes and goodnights. And he still called her Kagome-san. The single suffix was enough to profoundly signify the difference between past and present and the issues they would have to deal with in the future.

And beyond…

"Playing with fire will only get you burned, fox." A familiarly dispassionate voice commented from the nearest tree, causing Kurama to close his eyes and stop in his tracks with an understanding smile.

"Playing relationship counsellor doesn't suit you very well, Hiei."

The fire apparition gave a snort-like sound and materialized on the ground next to Kurama. They were out of earshot and eyesight of the hotel entrance by then – Kurama had decided that he might actually need another walk to get some time on his own. Apparently, he had miscalculated and hadn't considered Hiei's skills of perception.

Not that Hiei knew what a relationship counsellor was, most probably, but the steely look in his eyes showed that he also didn't care. "Don't start spewing human nonsense at me, Kurama. You were being remarkably careless." Hiei commented, adapting his pace to that of his companion. "Every lowlife youkai on this island can sense that woman a mile away, but you didn't sense me or her, even when she was right under your nose." It was an accusation. Disappointment.

"Neither of you mean me harm, thus there is no need for your concern." Kurama teased gently, though his pride was slightly insulted by his friend's words.

Hiei stopped and gave the fox demon a calculating look. "You're up to something." A statement, not a question.

"Aren't I always?"

"Save your mind games for the weak. Careful with that woman. You know what she is capable of." Hiei warned grimly, clearly referring the moment when Kagome had destroyed the demonic horde.

"And again I ask: aren't I always?" Kurama was subtly moving the conversation away from its central topic, which didn't go unnoticed by the fire demon. The kitsune noticed that Hiei wasn't buying his reassurance, but it was worth a try. "I'm not foolish enough to make a move for the jewel in my current state, Hiei." It was the best promise he could make. "You know that."

"Hn. Last time I checked, you were the one who tried to stop me from beheading the detective by allowing my sword to impale your stomach."

A twitch of pain at the memory. That had been unpleasant. "Careful, Hiei, or I might actually begin to think you're concerned about me." Kurama said with a slight smile when the fire demon's eyes narrowed in an obvious attempt to signify the contrary.


	32. The prime suspects

To be honest, I'm not satisfied with this chapter. It's longer than I thought it would be, but shorter than it perhaps should be. The first scene was created later than the second one, which is more essential, but still… well, I'll let you guys decide. I'm open to suggestions for improvement, as always. I hope I do Shippo and Yusuke justice, because those two aren't easy to write. There will be more explanations later on, Botan will likely steal the spotlight for a moment or two and, certainly, other characters will be getting involved.

Status report: I passed! I'm officially a grown-up, people – I got my driving license! Take that, world! Anyway, I'm studying for one last exam, diligently watching Rurouni Kenshin, which is turning out far better than I expected (though the manga is better than all the fillers, in my opinion) and fangirling over the soon-to-be-seen Sweeney Todd movie. Gawd, I can hardly wait!

Oh, and I totally don't own the "let the true love nurse the wounded hero back to health with a little fluff thrown in" plot-device.

X X X

**The prime suspects**

X X X X X

"Follow your heart, but he quiet for a while at first. Ask questions; then feel the answer. Learn to trust your heart."

- Anonymous

X X X X X

The second match was no different from the previous one; this time, Kagome truly didn't even bother to show up. As long as the island hadn't been fully scouted and the tournament was only just beginning, the mission was more important than any kind of entertainment, even the most tasteless of entertainment. In fact, there wasn't any sighting of Kagome or Shippo; the tournament progressed as normally as such an event should.

But the kitsune cub was keeping tabs on the Reikai team and spared them another visit during their day off.

This time, the Spirit Detective was actually conscious, not that it was very good. Shippo got a pretty good reaction when he turned into the toothless snake again, but it wasn't as funny as the first time. Actually, he didn't consider the "team" to be very funny at all. At least the demon who had tried to slice him in two was not present, apparently brooding in the dark alone somewhere. Well, good for him. Maybe he'd finally discover he needed help. That of a psychiatrist, of course.

Aside from that, Shippo didn't think much of the two humans, Urameshi Yusuke and Kuwabara Kazuma. Apart, they were boring; together, they were downright tedious. The former tried to sound funny and cool and tough all the time; the latter was usually too dense to get the simplest jokes. Neither of them got any of his tricks. Well, serves them right. Kids these days.

If he had to choose, he would certainly say that he liked Kurama best, if only because he possessed some intelligence and, heaven forbid, at least the slightest taste in good jokes. But all the same, Shippo was also the wariest about him, not because of power alone; it was his perceptiveness that had Shippo on his toes. Oh, and the fact that his control over his expression slipped whenever the kit mentioned Kagome's name, though Shippo couldn't quite define the shift in his eyes. It was too subtle.

Still, Shippo thought he ought to be congratulated for this analysis of all of them after two very brief meetings.

Surprisingly, Botan, that blue-haired ferry girl from Reikai, who was, apparently, also present, caught up and joined them to see Kagome in Hiei's place. Shippo couldn't decide whether that was good or bad; he liked Botan in general, because she was easily scared and liked his tricks, but she was also the bubbliest girly-girl he had ever met and the constant childish treatment got on his nerves at times. What she needed was one big concussion… then she'd be all right.

He also didn't get why Kagome was wasting time with the group once more, though he supposed that had something to do with not all of them being conscious the first time they had met. Oh, well, bad luck. In any case, it seemed that their "leader" had been filled in on all the details he had overslept, so it was purely a formality.

Following Kagome's energy to a meadow some minutes away from the hotel was easy. The two human boys continued to talk and argue, Botan occasionally chiming in with something. No one would have guessed their lives were at stake.

Suddenly, Shippo stopped and his face became a slight grimace for a moment. "Oh." he said with visible distaste, looking at something beyond them all. It turned out to be Kagome; but Shippo's distaste was obviously directed towards the person talking to her.

Kuwabara, always the one for intelligent questions, was the first to speak.

"Who the hell is that?"

It actually was a justified query, because the man talking to Kagome certainly didn't fit conventions of any kind. It was easy for both Yusuke and Kuwabara imagine him as a Tarzan-style barbarian, thanks to his clothing, though Kuwabara was more surprised to see that the man – obviously a demon – had a tail similar to Shippo's, only longer and different in colour.

Shippo didn't seem overly enthusiastic either and gave that mild grimace again. "That's Kouga, a prince of one pretty large wolf demon tribe back in Makai. Kagome's _admirer._" He was saying it casually, as if it was nothing, completely dismissing the surprise of the two human boys.

"Well, that explains the tail." Yusuke muttered to himself, then grinned a bit and glanced at Botan. "Didn't know girls from Reikai were into that kind of thing."

The normally bubbly ferry girl promptly whacked him on the head with a war cry of "Yusuke, you absolute jerk!" and then stalked away to Kagome, changing expressions mid-way and calling out "Kagome-chaaaan!" in her more usual voice.

Kurama allowed himself an indulgent smile before Shippo continued musing out loud. "But what's he doing here? Getting through like that can't be easy, so I guess it's important…" Even from the distance, it was visible that before Botan got to them, Kouga managed to grab Kagome's hands in that solemn but comical romantic gesture of his and said something undoubtedly out of turn to her, because the priestess was clearly very nervous at that point. "Or not." Shippo said darkly, sighing in frustration, his expectations fulfilled.

"Lemme get this straight: a demon's after one of your people and Koenma's not flippin' out? That's totally unfair!" The Spirit Detective was almost whining, despite his bravado. "One mistake from me and I gotta endure having him shriek at me for hours!"

"This isn't the same." Kurama noted, looking at Shippo. The latter noticed something harden in Kurama's expression, but again, it faded before he could get a good look. "I suppose he is a spy and information for your group, if such proximity to Kagome-san is allowed."

The kitsune cub made a face as if he had been forced to chew on something particularly bitter. "Basically. There was some problem in his tribe's mountains about two centuries ago with a group of demonic birds with which Kagome was somehow coaxed into helping with. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, Kouga decided that Kagome wasn't too bad to look at and officially proclaimed that she was his woman."

"Just like that?" Kuwabara blinked. "So they're, like, married or something? Just ´cause he said they were? Man, demons are creepier than I thought they were. No offence, Kurama." he added hastily, glancing at the redhead.

The fox demon smiled amiably. "None taken, Kuwabara-kun."

With a nod, Kuwabara thought about it for a few seconds and then brightened up with a goofy smile. "Hey, does that mean that if Yukina said that we belong together, we'd be married too?"

Yusuke and Kurama had matching expressions of unease for a few seconds; Shippo, who had no idea who Yukina was, pitied her nonetheless, but it was Kurama who answered. "Not quite. Demonic claims of such a kind aren't sealed without mutual consent or a specific ritual."

"What kind of ritual?"

Yusuke, catching sight of Kurama's reddening face, hid a snigger and a growing laugh behind his hand, though he really shouldn't have bothered, because Kuwabara noticed and started calling him names and attempting to fight him. Honestly, Kurama was glad that he had been spared the need to answer that. Shippo grinned knowingly, but didn't say anything. What broke the silence – and the fight in their general vicinity – was the approach of Botan, Kagome and Kouga following behind.

Botan glared dangerously at the two fighting humans, who untangled themselves only when she let out a rather feral growl.

"Geez, Botan, keep your underwear on, assuming you're wearing any…"

"You absolute jerk! Fighting at a time like this, how can you possibly be this lewd?!"

In the meantime, Shippo hopped onto Kagome's shoulder and the priestess spared Kurama a smile as a greeting. "It's good to see you in a more lively state, Urameshi-san." she said amiably.

The Spirit Detective looked rather sheepish upon getting back to his feet after one last solid punch in Kuwabara's general direction. "Well, you know, know how it is when you wanna look your best when kicking some demons where it counts; beauty sleep's necessary. Eh, sorry I kinda missed your first introduction, but the guys filled me in, so I guess it doesn't really matter, right?"

"Not really. I know who you are and you know who I am. If you know why I'm here, that's more than enough." Kagome noted firmly.

Another flashy grin. "Great, so we're cool! Be sure to cheer on us next time, 'cause I think we're really gonna need it."

"All right then. Sorry, but we're in a bit of a hurry still…"

"Sure, see you guys later!"

Kagome didn't exactly wave back as she and Kouga (who had remained strangely silent) left (Shippo still on her shoulder), but gave another parting smile. They left in quite a hurry, actually, because as Shippo had predicted, news from Makai was the topic of their conversation.

"Is something the matter?" she asked once they were a fair distance away. "It's not like you to not speak your mind, Kouga-kun."

And indeed, he had been silent ever since Botan had arrived, ever since they had spoken to the Reikai team. Strangely, there was a frown crossing Kouga's brow and his eyes were in deep thought. "I thought I smelled a familiar stench… but I guess it might have been just that little runt." The wolf prince nodded towards Shippo.

"Who're you calling a runt, wolf boy?" Shippo seethed, but of course didn't have the nerve to attack.

Kagome frowned. "Is it InuYasha?"

"Not dog. Fox." Kouga clarified, glancing at Shippo for a moment. He didn't really want to bring this up, knowing that Kagome never really did like to discuss that part of her past, but he couldn't simply let it go. Predictably, Kagome lowered her gaze and tensed a bit, despite there being thousands of fox demons in the world. "But there was something different about it. Don't mind that, Kagome. There are a lot of unfamiliar scents here in Ningenkai. I might be wrong."

But he was quite certain that he wasn't. And Kagome always trusted his judgment when it came to sensing that. In fact, she had thought she had sensed something similar, but couldn't – or refused to – make any kind of connection. What good was reliving anguish?

"They're just a group of kids, Kouga-kun. Nothing to be concerned about. Koenma-sama has made a background check on each of them, so I trust them."

The grin she received in response was slightly rueful. "You're too compassionate for your own good, Kagome. You know that they're most likely going to die any day soon."

"I'm not here to debate the percentage of their chances for victory, Kouga-kun." The priestess said seriously. "My only concern is InuYasha." _And Naraku._

Unfortunately, those like Kouga were very protective of their "chosen" ones and it had not escaped his attention that she had been studied more closely than she perhaps realized herself by the strange group, particularly by the one who smelt of secrets and pain; the one who most resembled Shippo in appearance.

"Well, there's not much more to add. Rumour has it that the mutt-face has been sighted a few times, but nothing too certain. My guess is that he'll definitely be drawn here sooner or later. No one's bothering to conceal their youki round here, plus there's your energy here… it's a very noticeable place, if you know what to look for."

"Precisely."

Shippo made a mental note of not stopping his investigation of Team Urameshi just yet.

X X X X X

A blur of movement. Voices, familiar and distant, like memories. It was after the third round of the Dark Tournament; the first round Kagome and Kagewaki had attended, the first where the true despicable nature of the committee was actually revealed. Flowers of blood. Self-sacrifice. Kurama was feeling distinctly woozy, though some part of him – either his conscience or Youko's voice, which amounted to the same – chidingly reminded him in an almost sing-song voice that it had been his bright idea to literally stab himself.

"You two, get him to his room. You, get me a bucket of boiled water and the cleanest cloth you can find."

Mother, kidnapped. Stalemate. But then, the chance to plant the seeds into his enemy by allowing them to grow from his own body.

"Can you heal that?"

"I have to extract it before I can heal it. Now go. The longer you wait, the worse it will be."

"Gotcha."

"Will he be all right?"

"If you leave me in peace to work. Now shoo!"

And suddenly, he was back at the hotel, in his room, wishing that he would never have to leave the comfort of his bed. Sticky blood was no longer wet, so he felt only warmth… and pain. It was numb, so he wasn't going to die. But if he wasn't dying, then why…?

"Sit down, try to stay still." Kagome urged, while she knelt down in a comfortable position next to the bed. She felt as if she had a bell within her that was ringing more strongly with each chime. This was more serious than she had anticipated, because it was truly an internal injury. The only fortune – and misfortune as well – was that he wasn't likely to lose much blood, as there wasn't any wound large enough on his body that would allow all the blood to rush out.

But still, Kurama put on a brave face, even though he was obviously not at all comfortable in his current state. "I don't think that will… lessen the pain in any way." His eyes shut tightly for the moment; a spasm of pain had jolted through him, like electricity – there was no concealing that.

"No, I guess, but it won't hurt to try that. I wouldn't want you to be in more pain than necessary."

For a moment, the pained expression of a sick person was replaced by infinite gentleness; he actually smiled, which Kagome could only classify as a superhuman effort. "Kagome-san, compared to my past experiences, any touch from you is like the caress of a butterfly's wings." he said softly, the light in his eyes undimmed even by the grievous pain he was in.

Kagome caught herself staring. She blinked a few times and found her voice again.

"Yes, well… thank you. But please, I must focus." It was more of a way of asking him to stop flattering or complimenting her so, because, strangely, it was affecting her, her, who had remained unfazed in the face of greater praises. But there was that look of… _that look_ in his eyes that rendered all words others spoke meaningless.

And where others would have struggled, he dutifully complied. "Of course. I will endeavour to assist in any way I can."

"No, no, just save your energy." Kagome said quickly, shaking her head. Besides, he couldn't help her. What she would do might do more harm than good, anyway. "I don't want to risk purifying your demonic side away. I need to sever the link between your youki and the plant before I can extract it. "

Seriousness returned to Kurama's face. Of course; as he had summoned the plant, he was the link that kept it alive. His energy was feeding it and sustaining it. As long as the plant was alive, it was nearly impossible to extract. The first step to extracting it was killing it, which, unfortunately, he didn't have the conscious strength to do at the moment. And so the catch twenty-two was sealed, as he couldn't regain his strength until the plant was removed.

"I don't think it would kill me, but I am grateful for your concern… and your assistance."

"You might not be saying that in a moment…" Then, strangely, her white face appeared more human-like as a rosy tinge spread across her cheeks. "Sorry about this."

For an instant, a smile flickered on his face. "About what?" Kurama inquired innocently, though it was perhaps insensitive to tease her at the moment, as she was obviously fumbling with her fingers when she moved to remove his shirt.

Contrary to expectations, Kagome didn't shoot him a glare, but her face was now of a light rosy colour. "The ends justify the means in this case, I'm afraid." she said solemnly, forcing herself to ignore the question. Once the deed was done, she placed her palms about five inches above his torso and closed her eyes. She didn't apologize again or ask him to relax, which would have been redundant in any case.

There was no relaxing for someone of demonic blood when distinctly holy energy began shining so close, so pure. But Kurama, who refused to close his eyes just yet, saw that it was a more dimmed light than the usual flare of energy. She was being careful; gentle, even, to the point of impossibility, as this energy wasn't meant to heal… only to cleanse. And in her face was not the practiced calm of an ancient guardian, but the very humane trembling that wasn't mirrored in her movements.

_I must not let you die…_

The scalpel of her energy cut through him, but Kurama bit into his lip rather than cry out and show her weakness. She had asked for quiet to help her focus, after all; so she would get it.

The pain was like a flash of white lightning, but it was equally swift. She was searching for the links to his energy, he saw it clearly now. Kurama felt a twinge of disappointment that it wasn't purely concern for his well-being that had caused her face to lose its practiced mask, but the effect had been reached nonetheless. The knife cut swiftly, with precision. As one would expect from a trained warrior.

"There." Kagome said after a few tantalizing minutes. She lowered her hands, the rosy energy they were emitting vanishing, her rigid posture relaxing. But her eyes, her eyes were finally as he remembered them; a whirlpool that would suck you in and never allow you to escape. It seemed as if the experience had been very intense for her, or perhaps the fear of slaying him had produced an adrenaline rush. "Now…"

But that had been only part of the process. The first half. And if her energy was tantalizing, then the extraction of the plant that had fortunately avoided his vital organs was torture. But it was bearable; a reasonable price for the long moments her white hands roamed his flesh, leaving behind trails of fire.

It took an hour… no, more. But time was inconsequential. Time had stopped in the middle of two tortures that had been imposed upon him.

And then…

"I don't think I can do much more for you." Kagome said as she washed and treated the wound. Beside her, dozens of feet of a dead vine with tiny leaves lay, partially covered in dried blood.

On the bed, Kurama closed his eyes for a few seconds, a strange relief passing through him. He was alive, with Kagome… in all likelihood, he would have managed to deal with his injuries somehow, but still, it was wonderfully convenient.

"You've done more than enough. Thank you…" he said honestly. It was very easy to see what even Youko had found so appealing about Kagome; a fire controlled was a fire nonetheless. And the change they had both undergone seemed to give them a chance cross the border of the years easily.

"Don't stand up." Kagome was quicker than him in that aspect, almost reading his mind. "Not just yet, or it would have all been for nothing. Rest." She literally pushed him back into the bed when he tried to sit up.

"You don't have to trouble yourself anymore."

And, finally, the mask fell completely and Kagome looked almost as if her eyes were about to pop out. "Are you crazy?" It wasn't nearly a shriek, but it was enough to bring a hint of nostalgia into Kurama's mind. "Is that all you have to say after nearly committing seppuku for a point in this stupid tournament?!"

"It might have been the one point between a win and a loss." He noted on a more serious note. And in this tournament, even one win was more than enough to determine the difference between life and death. "And Yusuke isn't yet up to the task of taking up three fights in a row."

Sighing, the priestess seemed to be on the verge of rolling her eyes. "You're determined to be the hero, aren't you?"

A simple question, though the answer was anything but that.

"Yes… for once." he said without hesitation, and Kagome thought that he was remembering something from the distant past. But it was, for all intents and purposes, a stupid answer. Heroes were always the first in the line of crossfire… and she certainly didn't see the rest of his team willing to sacrifice themselves for the others.

"You are possibly the stupidest smart person I've ever met, which is saying a lot, because I've met a lot of people." Kagome proclaimed, then thought about it for a moment and decided that that wasn't entirely honest and amended it. "Though most of them were stupid to begin with."

Kurama responded with a low, melodic laugh that turned into a slight cough in the middle, due to his injuries. "I guess I'll take that as a compliment."

"But… next time, warn me before attempting to be the noble martyr, will you?" This time, Kagome was asking seriously and with due concern. She had felt the fear that had entered her heart years before, when hearing about Miroku and Sango getting ambushed and almost killed. Losing a friend…. A friend…

Kurama grimaced a bit, his muscles obviously recalling the pain of the experience more than anything. "I myself hope that such an occasion won't be repeated."

Once the remaining blood had been cleared away, Kagome found herself in better spirits somehow when she examined the wounds. "You're healing quickly. You'll be glad to hear that you'll survive."

Kurama smiled, but Kagome could see the spark of mischief relit in his eyes. "I am, indeed."

"Don't joke around like that! Death is no trifle. And there aren't any second chances, unless you bear a curse that makes even death itself reject you." she muttered the last part, without bitterness, after those long years.

"You shouldn't look at things that way." In an instant, Kurama's face was serious, studying her carefully and intensely. "You have much to live for, whether you know it or not."

"So do you." Kagome parried, nodding towards the still present wounds. And then, unexpectedly, she tossed back her sweat-soaked hair and laughed. "You might actually make me believe that. You and Shippo, with your big green eyes. You almost look like brothers… well, save for the ears. "

So, for the time being, until he could prove that point, Kurama didn't press the issue and decided to let it go. But if this was what the presence of the little fox could do, he was grateful for the capture of Kagome years ago, if only partially. Obviously, Shippo had given her something to care for beyond her mission and her vengeance.

"He can do better tricks than I." he said, almost humbly, but honestly. Tricks like that weren't his specialty. "I wouldn't be able to top his transformations."

Kagome smiled at the memory of her little companion. "He likes having an audience to dazzle. He's been very happy thus far; he's adorable, but he can get a little grouchy when we don't clap when he transforms for the thousandth time."

And, seeing a chance to remind her of the tricks of kitsune, he took it. "So you're saying that you find me adorable?" There was a grin of mischief on his face, the incarnation of innocence.

"I- well, if you go by that logic, I'd be saying you're grouchy as well, which you're not." Kagome spluttered a bit, but her attempt to evade the question was a feeble one.

"That is more difficult to tell than the former; now, your answer, Kagome-san?" His eyes observed her without blinking, darker than Shippo's, but similarly large and curious and filled with would-be innocent mischief.

There was no avoiding it, then. "I…. well, yes – I mean no – I mean…" The formerly dignified priestess was standing with her eyes shut tightly, her right hand clutched into a shaking fist, her teeth clenched together, as if he had very cleverly insulted her and she couldn't think of any kind of response. "You're frustrating and distracting." she said accusingly.

"It's just a simple question." Kurama mused, somehow delighting in her theatrics. "They do say that silence counts as confirmation."

"No, I don't find you adorable." the priestess said finally. But she wasn't supposed to lie – and she didn't really want to – so she would have to tell the entire truth and give a proper answer. "I… I find you beautiful, if you must know." She wasn't looking at him as she said it, until she finally added the extra answer to regain some ground. "At least, compared to leagues of other demons I've seen. Now stay still."

But tossing around empty words was not really a way of erasing the truth from those with meaning. Knowing that, Kurama smiled. "How can I possibly disobey my wondrous nurse? But I insist that you stay by my side to hasten my recovery."

"I can only do so much, Kurama-san. You overestimate me."

"Quite the contrary. I had not known that you can heal demons as skilfully as you are known to slay them."

"I haven't healed you in the least." Kagome remarked. It wasn't entirely true, but it was more butchery than healing in her eyes.

"You have." Kurama objected, though not too heatedly. Kagome still had a tendency towards childish arguments, probably. "Through your words and very presence. It is soothing to me."

"I had thought it would be offensive to be exposed to purity for so long."

"During my imprisonment, I have come to relish purity, Kagome-san. Purity of the mind, of the soul… purity of the heart." It was a bit of a game with words, but in essence, it amounted to the same in his opinion. And all of those things applied to Kagome.

"You forgot the last one – purity of the body." the priestess remarked.

Forgetting certainly wasn't the same as intentionally leaving things out, though it was nice that she had noticed. "I cannot claim to possess that any longer in the eyes of the outside world, as I am partly human now." His tone was carefree, at least, more carefree than it should have been under the circumstances. To be shunned by the rest of his kind… but time could soothe many wounds.

"I have been wondering about that, actually." Kagome admitted. "You aren't a hanyou but you feel like a human and demon both… it's somewhat confusing."

With a nod, Kurama's smile remained unfazed. "I've been told that my case is somewhat unusual even among demons."

Kagome seemed very much academically interested in that. "I can see that. It's like… like looking at two entities, fused into one so closely that I can't really see where one begins and the other ends."

So she had noticed… that truly was more than anyone had ever managed to do. But that was Kagome, really. "Eloquently put, Kagome-san. You are the first to see it this clearly. I have originally been a demon, but due to a miscalculation on my part, I was grievously wounded. Ironically, my injury allowed me to slip through the Kekkai and save myself."

"So you survived you survived thanks to possession?" Partial shock, partial righteous anger, partial interests. But still, it was academic interest above all else and she bore no grudge for the sake of a human soul clearly beyond that kind of liberation.

"The matter isn't that simple. As you've correctly perceived, the two aspects are so closely compressed that the borders between them have come to be blurred over time. Separation isn't a matter of choice any longer. The only choice I had was to stay… because I love my mother."

And, quite suddenly, something gained Kagome's interest, something far more important than possession and reincarnation. "That must be… wonderful. To have loving parents." It was a sigh as much as a confession and something about it was a deep revelation. She never spoke about the past that distant.

"I don't think a demon such as I can fully describe it to you without descending into the cliché." Kurama admitted, despite knowing that his vocabulary was likely large enough to describe it more adequately than most others. "But I love my mother, plainly spoken."

"Nothing about love is plain." Kagome remarked without really thinking.

"Yes…" Again, he smiled, this time seeing the image of Kagome from the past blurred against the reality of the present. "Yes, that is true."

Kagome saw that and decided that it was time to steer the conversation away from dangerous waters of memory. "You must miss the peace of normal life."

"Partially." he admitted, "But I also miss Makai at times during normal days at school, so it's kind of a balance."

"School…" The word brought a smile to her face, which certainly wasn't how most people would react at the mention of that word. "I've heard about that. Botan-chan told me that children receive free education in Ningenkai. That sounds wonderful."

"Wonderful" certainly wasn't one of the words that most associated with "school". But from someone who had never attended one… "I'm not certain that those children would agree with you on that account." He said, inwardly laughing at the image of the reactions of most of his classmates at such a declaration.

"Why?" Kagome seemed honestly perplexed, despite her lessons in modern history. "They like working on fields more than learning interesting things?"

This time, Kurama truly laughed, but not maliciously. "Children don't need to work nowadays; they play games instead. Everything has come a long way since Sengoku Jidai."

"I've seen images from Ningenkai on our cameras." Kagome clarified, but without being insulted. "I know about the system, but little of the people. I wish I could see more of it one day."

Of course, the ban. A departed soul; a guardian in the dark. But if he had started so wonderfully on the path of the martyr, perhaps he could sacrifice one more thing that would hurt him the least of all these wounds…

"If I remember correctly, this tournament seems to have a rather unique prize. If, by some miracle, we manage to win…"

"Don't say that. You will win." Kagome interrupted.

"That is reassuring." Again, a smile of amusement passed through his eyes. "Very well, _when_ we win, perhaps I could fulfil that wish for you."

Silence. Finally, the first signs of true shock. But again, Kagome recovered and found her voice. "That… that's very kind of you to offer, but… the committee couldn't give me what I really want." Her stuttering turned into a quiet murmur, almost on the edge of hearing.

"I'm sorry if I brought back painful memories."

"No, no, don't apologize. I find you easy to talk to, you should forgive me." Once more, Kagome laughed shortly, perhaps to forget, perhaps to simply cover up her previous statement. "Again, like with Shippo-chan! Is that a kitsune thing?"

"Possibly. But you're remarkably resistant to it." Kurama remarked on a lighter note.

Kagome picked up the remains of the death plant and unceremoniously dumped it into the trash bin. She then proceeded to wash her hands and her face from the blood and sweat, only the latter being hers, and offered one last comforting smile. "I'll check how you're doing tomorrow, then. Get some rest."

While it certainly was his currently greatest wish to have her stay, it would have been an odd request and there was wisdom in what she proposed. But one question remained. "Why are you helping me, Kagome-san?"

Turning around, the priestess gave him a look of surprise. And then, she smiled, though her voice was firm. "Because I can." _This time, I can."_


	33. No reason for treason

I've passed all my exams! W00t! Freedom at long last! Well, not that much of it, as my summer semester begins next Monday, but nevertheless my tests are over and I finally have a few days of freedom ahead of me. Incidentally, I am planning a new fanfic, possibly the last I might post here, because I want to give it my best. It will be very dark… but I don't have the second half of the plot completely worked out. Oh, well. I have to finish writing this one first, and I must say, I have added a few scenes I'm looking forward to finishing this fic.

A touch of humour in this chapter! Oh, yay!

X X X

**No reason for treason**

X X X X X

"The most powerful force in the universe is gossip."

- Dave Barry

X X X X X

If Kagome had been thinking that things were going to be easy in the traditional sense of the word once she had finished her surgery and wiped the blood off her hands, she was particularly mistaken.

She had actually been expecting to find a desperate team Urameshi right behind the door of Kurama's room, waiting to see what the results of her intervention had been. She had been expecting Kagewaki to give her the report on the latest talk behind the scenes of the tournament. Heck, she had even been expecting Shippo, fully transformed, ready to pounce on her, like he usually did.

Well, she had been partially correct about the last part, at least.

There was a rush of blue and suddenly, before she could even think of brandishing her weapon, the priestess was held in a grip of iron. She could practically hear her ribs grinding against each other and she imagined that her eyes might pop out soon enough.

"Kagome-chaaan!"

She was suffocating. Most definitely.

"Uh… I think you're… you're holding a bit too tightly, Botan-san." A timid girlish voice said from somewhere beyond the curtain of cerulean hair.

"Well, she has to get ready for being our substitute when bro finally screws up big-time." Another voice, female but dark and mature, added.

There was another swirl of blue and Kagome found out that she had never before appreciated just how wonderful oxygen could be. No, scratch that; air alone was wonderful. The scentless mass that soared through her lungs and filled her with energy was intoxicating, refreshing and a thousand other adjectives.

But she could somehow relate to Botan's situation. After all, last time, it had been only a brief meeting. This was truly their first true encounter after months… years, perhaps. When Botan had been demoted, she had been reassigned to a simpler position in Ningenkai. As she was no longer authorized to enter Makai, where Kagome and her group spent most of their time, there were few opportunities for their paths to cross. Today marked the first of those few.

Botan was dressed quite differently than a normal ferry girl; she was wearing a green shirt with blue fish on it and matching blue jeans, if Kagome recalled the name of that particular modern garment correctly. It was the current trend in fashion, apparently. The other two girls behind her were both indisputably human, likely come to cheer for the Reikai team due to relations with the human half of it. The taller, older one, looked more mature than she truly was with a cigarette in her hand. The younger, smaller one, had the appearance of a little sparrow; frail, easily crushed, but with warm and intelligent eyes. And a third one, hidden from view almost all the time, resembling a mermaid thanks to her sea-green hair, dressed in a blue kimono.

A demon, without a doubt. Not that it would have been any kind of problem, even if the girl's youki didn't seem as if she wouldn't be capable of even hurting a fly.

And, of all the surprising things, Shippo popped out of nowhere on the younger girl's shoulder and then jumped to Kagome's with a faint boink-like sound.

"Hey, Kagome! I was looking around for you and ran into these guys, who said you were doing healing stuff." the little kitsune chimed in. "So you're done now?"

"Yes, everything's done." Kagome nodded with a smile. She assumed that Shippo, eager for a crowd to show-off for, had found an eager audience and had performed some of his tricks for them in exchange for companionship. Of course, she really thought she didn't want to know the particulars of their encounter, because the taller of the human girls looked ready to defend herself against anything and everything, including pink balloons with eyes and flying wooden snakes.

Botan finally realized that the awkwardness of the situation was caused by the unfamiliarity of the parties involved. She had become so used to the presence of the other girls that she had almost assumed that Kagome already knew them all.

"Oh! These are Keiko-chan and Shizuru-chan, friends and relations of the team, in that order." she said, pointing out each of them. "And our very own, koorime, Yukina-chan."

Yukina bowed slightly in an old-fashioned way. "It is an honour, Kagome-san."

Kagome now really considered her skills of observations worthy of praise. "Likewise." she said, nodding respectfully. "Pleased to meet you all. But if you're looking for Urameshi-san and Kuwabara-san, I personally threw them off the premises for being too nosy and noisy." she remarked, remembering the way they had attempted to help while just getting in the way. Really, all they had actually helped with was carry an unconscious Kurama up to his room to be treated.

"Kurama-san is going to be all right, then?" Keiko asked a bit anxiously, looking past the priestess at the door beyond.

Again, Kagome nodded slightly, though for some reason, she felt as if she had poked her finger with a needle. But then again, these people obviously knew each other from before and there was no reason why they shouldn't be concerned for each other. "In time, yes. I did what I could."

Botan's eyes became slightly more protuberant. Though she was missing the schoolgirl uniform this time, she looked even more like a teenager on sugar high. "Wow, I didn't know you had healing powers now too, Kagome-chan!" Her natural enthusiasm was momentarily marred when she frowned and shook her fist in the air, though with her energy, the threatening effect was thoroughly ruined. "It's all Koenma's fault for not allowing us to see each other very often. Honestly, what's life without a little girl-talk?"

The priestess suddenly felt somewhat sheepish, even though it wasn't her fault in any way. "Well, there isn't much I can do about that, Botan-chan…" she trailed off. Her work schedule was practically unpredictable and her task never seemed to end.

Shizuru, still smoking the very same cigarette, allowed the cylindrical ash to drop into the nearest ashtray, throwing the remains of the cigarette after it. "

She's been going on like this ever since the match ended, so don't mind her too much." The way she spoke was of someone who was street-wise and a bit world-weary; actually, with the levels of power she was emitting, it was surprising that this girl also hadn't been trained and made into a soldier of Spirit World. But then again, she also seemed too shrewd to allow herself to be recruited by anyone.

"Shizuru-chan, how can you say that?" Botan pouted, practically jumping up and down, like a child denied an expensive toy. "I'm stuck with the routine job while they get all the adventure and excitement!"

"And blood and gore." Shizuru deadpanned, already flicking another cigarette between her fingers and lighting it.

"Um, so…" The very timid manner of the words suggested that Yukina had spoken them. "Did you manage to get that plant out of him? I mean… it looked very painful even from afar and only bits of it were visible on the outside…"

Credit had to be given to the girls that they didn't as much as flinch as Kagome answered. "I had to take it out manually… but don't worry. I already gave him a piece of my mind about committing seppuku on us, so I hope there won't be another incident such as this anytime soon." The priestess noted with a small smile. Today, she was the nurse.

And a convincing nurse, it seemed, because Yukina truly seemed to brighten up.

"That's good." Even her voice was happier, but with her, it was easy to see that it was because she didn't wish _anyone_ pain. It was strange to encounter a demon such as that, but when the oddities began to pile up, Kagome wasn't as surprised by them as she would have been otherwise.

"So, out with it then. Are you in love with him or not?"

They had been in the process of walking away from the room when Shizuru, who hadn't yet bothered to move from her spot, spoke up. Their expressions of shock and stunned surprise were as various as their personalities; Yukina blinked, her face gradually getting a bit flushed, Keiko spluttered Shizuru's name in a slightly scandalized manner, almost as she did whenever Yusuke did something particularly unsightly in her presence. Botan squealed in surprise.

Kagome herself stopped, her eyes larger than Botan's, her mouth slightly agape as she responded in the only logical way she could think of.

"Huh?" then, seeing how stupid it sounded, she amended her reply. "E-excuse me?"

Unfortunately, if Shizuru knew tact, she cheerfully kicked it out of the door and locked it out in the dark of the night. "Yes or no. That's a simple question."

"Sh-Shizuru-chan!" Botan spluttered when she found her voice. Of course, she had intended to ask something of the sort sooner or later. She was the only one, save for Koenma, who was in on the whole charade. She was a bit outraged, of course, and the fact that she was a blabbermouth – she could admit that much – didn't help her at all. It was taking all her strength not to at least tell Kurama that she knew, but for some reason, she felt that this wasn't entirely her affair. After all, save for the one occasion she had been rescued thanks to him, she had never met Youko Kurama, and even then, she hadn't even seen him. "You can't ask something like that so insensitively!"

And perhaps, somehow, she didn't want to feel as if this was a kind of betrayal of Kagome by not telling her the whole truth as soon as possible. But she was beginning to think that perhaps she ought to knock some sense into Kurama's head and convince him to tell Kagome as soon as possible. She intended to fix her mistake of pushing Kagome into overcoming her good common sense years ago.

Because, no matter how she looked at it, there was absolutely no chance that anything about their mutual feelings had actually changed.

What could she say? She was a romantic at heart and an absolute sucker for happy endings.

"I'd run out of cigarettes before one of you would work up the gall to actually even ask. Besides, I recall someone _else _giving us all descriptions of scenes from cheap romance novels when she saw the situation."

Damn Shizuru's good memory!

"That-that's completely beside the point!" Botan insisted, but everyone knew the truth just by the fact that she didn't even bother with a feeble attempt at denial.

"Botan-chan?" It was never a good sign when Kagome's voice went that quiet and steady. "What _exactly_ are you doing?" Because that was the moment before the bomb went off.

And Botan, anxiously stepping from one foot to the other, avoiding the priestess's piercing stare, filled with silent accusations. "Well-ah, he he… Kagome-chan… you see…"

"It's just that you looked very worried back then, Kagome-san." Keiko interjected. She was smart enough to see that Botan wouldn't get what she wanted out no matter how much time it took. "I mean… I think I'd have done the same if I could have helped in any way…"

There was a hidden praise and respect in that, which Kagome noticed and her stern features softened, making her appear the age she looked to the casual observer. But Keiko was also observant when something was right underneath her nose and hardly doubted that the priestess was, like Botan, not human and that she was also far older than she looked.

"I am a miko, Keiko-san; I have been brought up to help people." Kagome explained, forgetting for a moment just what they had been talking about some moments previously. "It's just that nowadays, I help more with the bow and sword than with healing and kindness. The ends remain the same; only the means have changed."

"What she means to say that you didn't exactly jump to save bro when he got himself mashed into a pulp." Shizuru commented. "Granted, that injury came later, but still… besides, while I can't claim to know Kurama overly well, he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who'd be making goo-goo eyes at every pretty face he sees."

"I-" Kagome began feebly.

"You know, I kind of noticed that too." Shippo spoke up after a long moment of silence. He had a shrewd expression on his little face, his arms crossed, and he seemed to have only recently plunged out of the realm of deep thought. "Hey, if he really likes you, maybe you could finally dump Kouga for good?" Kagome decided to ignore the hopeful note that had crept into his voice when he said that. She was well-aware that Shippo wasn't particularly fond of Kouga or of his way of showing his… support, probably.

That was a neutral way of saying it.

Wasn't it?

"Guys-"

"Who's Kouga?" Keiko asked, not really following at that point.

Shippo scoffed somewhat, which was a peculiar sight. That was enough to display his opinion of the wolf, in his own not-so-humble opinion. Still, he somehow felt the need to elaborate. As these girls – Botan excluded – had never met Kouga, they had no idea what theatrics they were missing out on. And what emotional trauma. People like Kouga made him lose faith in the future of romance. Not that it had much of a future in the first place, mind you. "An annoying fleabag. Persistent at that. Two hundred years and that guy _still_ can't take a hint."

"Everyone! While I appreciate your interest in my personal life, even if, by some odd twist of fate, your assumptions were correct, nothing would ever come of it."

"Why?" Everyone – including Shippo – chorused.

"I think you'd look nice together." Keiko remarked, obviously picturing the two of them side by side in a mind's eye.

"You still didn't answer the question." Shizuru repeated mercilessly.

There was no way around it, was there? "I'm a miko." A pause. Maybe that didn't clarify it completely, Kagome thought, and thus she explained it again, stressing the second word. "Shrine maiden. Celibate." she added, just in case they didn't get it yet. "And this," she waved the sacred jewel in their faces. "is the most full-proof seal of chastity you could ever imagine. Besides…"

"Besides?" Keiko asked carefully.

Kagome seemed to straighten up a bit before them, and she seemed much taller than she actually was when confidence was on her side. "While I am growing fond of the team, Kurama-san included, I'm afraid that friendship is the most I can offer anyone." But in the end, her serious tones couldn't last to the end of the sentence.

However, it didn't matter. It didn't seem that anyone was listening to her anyhow.

"You'd be a good contrast." Keiko noted.

"You're of about the same height." Yukina chimed in.

"And you both have peculiar and possibly unnatural eye-colours for Japanese teenagers of your age." Shizuru sealed the matter.

Kagome really didn't know how _else_ she was supposed to end this discussion. "You know, none of that is actually a foundation for a relationship, as far as I'm aware." she noted, without any kind of clue what else to say.

Matching scowls were turned to her. "That's completely beside the point!"

"Um… I should be meeting Hitomi-san soon…" Kagome trailed off uncertainly. It wasn't a lie. "So I guess I'll just…" And so, while they argued, she proceeded to slip away slowly, carefully, employing her years of experience.

But unfortunately, Botan was most observant when she seemed most absent-minded. "No, no, wait! The question, Kagome-chan! Kagome-chaaaan!" the ferry girl called, running off after her.

Ironically, it was Keiko who turned out to be a quicker sprinter and caught up more easily. "Please forgive us, we really didn't mean to sound so nosy…"

"Forget about it, Keiko-san." Kagome just hoped _she_ would forget about it.

"…it's just that… well, you don't seem like you have too many people to talk to and since we're all together in this… I'm sorry, I just thought we could be friends…" Kagome almost stopped, but spared the human girl a glance nonetheless. Friends? Friends… It seemed strange to have something like that offered to her. She had friends, of course. Friends out of necessity, comrades in arms, friends created through time.

But to be offered friendship from a complete stranger…

It was frightening.

"You're all in enough danger as it is." Kagome said, hoping that would be enough to brush the girl off from the intention of being overly friendly. The priestess wasn't used to such a demeanour from nearly complete strangers.

"Oh, please, and talking to the person who every demon round here is terrified of is going to make things worse for us?" Shizuru caught up with them, obviously, keeping up the pace without spilling even a bit of ash from her cigarette. "That doesn't seem too logical."

"It will draw attention to you." Kagome said firmly. "As long as you are generally unnoticed, you're safe. I'm sorry, but I came here to catch a demon, not to protect anyone."

"We'll be just fine."

For a brief moment, Kagome threw a smile at Shizuru. She didn't necessarily unconditionally like the girl, but she could freely admit that she had the spirit that many greater people lacked.

"You know, I think I actually believe that."

"If you won't answer a simple question, at least quit being in denial." And she had guts and, well, it had to be said that way, balls.

"Shizuru-chan!" Keiko reprimanded her, but only half-heartedly. It seemed that she agreed with the older girl's sentiments, but didn't think it proper to say.

"Look," Shizuru stopped Kagome by placing a hand on her shoulder in a surprisingly gentle gesture, quite in contrast with her almost gruff behaviour. "I'm not saying that you should be like my brother; you're obviously smarter than that, simply by virtue of being female."

"Um, thanks…" _I think_. Kagome thought. But she remembered catching a glimpse of Kuwabara during the last fight, when Yukina had arrived, and had she not been so concerned about her task, she would have thought it very comical.

"But that doesn't mean the only organ you should listen to is your brain." Shizuru continued, evidently surprising even herself by giving such a speech to someone else. It was more than clear that she wasn't the type to do such a thing… often. "If nothing else, use your eyes, at least. No one's saying that you have to get married. Just don't get too stressed from denial, otherwise other vital organs might end up needing medical attention."

"The eyes aren't blind. But the heart is long gone." Now even Shizuru blinked. She would have written off those words as empty imitations of bad poetry, had they not been spoken with bitter pain.

"Oh." Shizuru didn't want silence to fall or Keiko to start questioning that answer. So, she clapped her hands, put on her best cover-up smile and swiftly spoke again with almost unnatural enthusiasm. "Well, that's that, then. Now, how bout we all go grab a drink or two? My bro's treat."

"But Kazuma isn't here, Shizuru-chan…" Yukina noted. Shizuru shook her head inwardly. Such a sweet and innocent girl… she really didn't want to think what kind of children she had her brother might turn out to have. The thought of a miniature Kazuma with green hair was disturbing enough. Though she rather hoped any potential offspring would inherit Yukina's looks… and everything else from Yukina.

"I nicked some of his money. It's his treat; he just doesn't have to know." Shizuru said when Keiko and Yukina exchanged a look. "Don't worry, we'll just have one or two drinks. You know, all the girl-talk that Botan here has been missing out on all these years." She said, patting the ferry girl's shoulder amiably.

"Why did she change topics so quickly?" Yukina whispered to Keiko.

The brunette shrugged, perplexed. "Beats me."

"Thank you, but some other time." Exit: Kagome, stage left. "I'm really… well, I'm happy that you'd care to spend your free time in my company, but unfortunately, I don't have any free time at the moment. Mine is a job without a time limit."

"Oh, okay!" Botan understood the hint. Anyway, the first part of the mission was over; they had established their ground somewhat. "We'll be downstairs by the bar if you change your mind!" she said, waving.

"Perhaps Shippo-chan would care to come with us?" Keiko asked, looking at the little kitsune fondly.

Apparently, Shippo didn't mind Keiko as he usually did people, because he perked up at the suggestion. "Okay! If you don't mind, that is, Kagome…" he asked anxiously. Kagome was, after all the most important person of them all.

But the priestess hid a smile. Who was she to deny him something so easily given? "No, not at all. Go, if you like."

"But you owe us that girl-talk, Kagome-chan!" Botan reminded the priestess, waving a finger at her seriously.

"Perhaps some day." Kagome smiled politely.

Shizuru snorted, but it was in good fun this time. "While we're still young, if you please!"

The priestess nodded pleasantly, before departing without looking back, her stride steady, her left hand closest to her sword. Again, for purely practical purposes, she had left her bow in her room. However, Shippo didn't really understand what he had gotten himself into until Kagome was out of eyesight and earshot and the female population within three meters of him descended upon him and Botan.

"Okay, now, Botan, Shippo, spill the beans." Shizuru said flatly, without a pretext.

"Huh?" Botan responded intelligently.

"Don't start with that." Shizuru warned. "You saw it just as well as I did. The girl went numb the moment I started…"

"…pushing her into a corner?" Keiko suggested.

"I'd call it a gentle nudge, but yes. The moment I got to the point, she gave the word "chalk-white" a new definition."

"Why the sudden interest, Shizuru-chan?" Botan asked, with interest of her own.

"Actually, Botan-san, I think _you_ sparked that interest in the first place." Yukina remarked.

The blue-headed ferry girl blinked. "I did?"

"Well, you _did_ talk all our ears off about all of your _adventures_ all the afternoon and you positively freaked out when you heard that Kagome-san was going to heal Kurama-san…" Yukina trailed off with her explanation.

"Could it be jealousy?" Keiko suggested, with uncanny slyness, but it was obvious that she was only trying to tease Botan.

"Oh, no; I think this goes beyond that. I think Botan wants to play matchmaker, but knows something we don't just yet." Shizuru glanced at Shippo suspiciously. "And maybe the fox here is in on it too."

"In on what?" Shippo blinked. He really didn't get girls at times. He was an expert on Kagome, not on them.

"Okay, so maybe not." Shizuru admitted. "He's just a kid."

"Hey! I might _look_ like a kid, but that doesn't mean that I _am _a kid. Besides, I've known Kagome the longest!" Shippo scoffed. He really wanted to help Kagome, because he had gathered by then that that was what they intended to do. But he was decidedly _not_ a kid.

A honey-brown eyebrow was arched in response. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah!" Shippo confirmed, glaring at Shizuru.

"How long?"

"Fifteen years!"

There was a general silence of shock from all the girls that weren't unacquainted with the past of the group. And really, Shippo, fifteen?

To lighten the tension, Shippo promptly transformed himself into the big pink balloon form that he hadn't used in a while.

Of course, he hadn't been counting on the fact that Shizuru was easily annoyed and had a rather firm grip when she caught something.

"Okay, now you _really _have to spill the beans!"


	34. Snowflakes

Happy Singles Awareness Day, people! This chapter is posted a day early in honour of that!

Status report: I got my hair cut. Of course, I had to have the worst of luck and ran into a hairdresser who cut off twice the length of hair I requested, purely because she thought it would look better. I was very sad for two days, as my hair had been nearing waist-length and now barely goes past my shoulder blades – meaning that I had lost about six inches of hair – but now I'm pretty comfortable with the length. My hair isn't overly long now, but it isn't short – there's at least six more inches of ponytail to work with. It just _seemed_ short to me at first. Plus, it has a tendency to grow at an almost ridiculous pace, two centimetres a month, usually, so my parents correctly assured me that all that hair would be back before the summer break. Plus, my hair was falling out in hairballs and the ends were very damaged, so I think of it as revitalization now.

Of course, that changes nothing about the fact that I shall never enter that particular salon again and likely never allow anyone with scissors to even come near my hair. That's just the two sides of the coin, I guess. You learn as you go. Besides, it's not as if I won't be Rapunzel again in a few month's time.

Kudos and remember -** reviews make my day!**

Houki Boshi is one of my absolute favourite j-pop songs!

The title refers to all the last scene of the chapter, which was downright hell to write without employing the overused revelation clichés. I hope it works for you as well as it worked for me. Enjoy and beware the cliffie!

X X X

**Snowflakes**

X X X X X

Looking up to the night sky alone, I saw a comet  
In an instant it burst open, and disappeared  
When I think of you, my heart aches  
I want to see you right now  
But I can't fly

If I could turn into a comet  
I would run through the sky and fly  
No matter what tomorrow is like, these feelings are strong  
So this comet will never break open

When I grumble about hating it when it rains  
I even now remember what you would say  
Stars will come out beautifully in the night sky, after the rain  
When I think about that  
I think that I can grow to love the rain too

If I could turn into a comet  
I would she'd my overflowing light  
Whenever I was sad, you would always look up to the night sky  
And make it shine even more, so that I would smile

You're always alone, and fighting with something  
But I can't be  
At your side

- Younha, Houki Boshi (Comet), English version

X X X X X

Kagewaki, immaculately dressed in a dark suit that strangely made his black hair stand out, was already waiting in front of her hotel room. There was an air of patience around him, but Kagome couldn't help but feel that she was being silently reprimanded the moment his eyes fell upon her. Of course the daimyo would say nothing of the sort – he had always acted with the utmost politeness towards her, even if she had one of her more childish moods – but Kagome could sense it.

And, strangely, when this almost gentle-faced lord looked at her that way, guilt always somehow managed to sizzle up to the top of her emotional capacity and she found herself acting more demurely than ever.

"Hitomi-san, I hope I didn't make you wait too long."

"Again you concern yourself with inconsequential matters, Kagome-sama." Kagewaki answered with equal dismissive politeness.

They had been a team for almost sixteen years now – somewhat of a mirror of her alliance with Kouga and his wolves, but much more deep-spanning. Kagewaki was almost active in his support of her and her tasks, never asked to be given an opportunity to examine the jewel; he had never asked of the jewel beyond what Kagome deigned important for him to know.

And Kagome didn't ask about Kikyo any longer, though the name of the dead priestess remained clear in her memory.

"I hardly consider impoliteness unimportant." This was something of an overly pompous apology, and Kagome would have likely never used it for anyone else.

But Kagewaki's dark eyes seemed to not see through her, but pierce – like two auburn spears. "That isn't what I meant."

That was a somewhat confusing answer and Kagome blinked. "Then I have cause to ask you why you would think such a thing?"

"Kagome-sama… you know that they are all going to die eventually." He spoke calmly, without a pretext. It was obvious who he was talking about. His words bore a cold detachment of one who had calculated with such a loss and paid it no mind. "Whether in this round or the finale, they will die. If you compare their strength to that of their upcoming rivals, you must concede that they always come short."

"I believe in them." Kagome replied firmly. "In fact, I am almost certain of their victory."

"Even knowing what they are to face?" Kagewaki asked as they entered the room – or rather, suite – and sat down at a table of polished ebony. "Forgive me, Kagome-sama, but to think that C-class fighters could best B-classes is naïve."

"It would be, under normal circumstances." Kagome conceded, glancing at the vase of flowers in the centre of the table momentarily. "But these fighters know that the shadow of death is looming over them. And nothing, Hitomi-san, is stronger than the human will to live."

"Forgive me if I find that poetical, but naïve nonetheless, Kagome-sama. They are children… with the exception of your patient, it seems." Something in Kagewaki's expression changed as he pronounced the word "patient" with something in-between interest and distaste.

Kagome almost laughed, in contrast to the serious mood. "Don't tell me you're jealous of Kurama-san."

"Merely looking out for your well-being, as I always have." he said, more softly, clearly meaning to avoid offending her.

"And I have always appreciated it, as you very well know."

"That is why I thought it best to warn you not to get too attached to them." Kagewaki continued with resolution. After all, he had observed how Kagome had a tendency to identify with anyone and everyone with tragedy in their lives. And the people and creatures usually ended up being only a burden or a liability to her, though she was too good-natured to admit that. "In case your theory doesn't stand up to reality this time. Children usually don't know the true extent of the concept of death. They don't fear it, so they don't consider it serious. And…I confess that I have been somewhat unsettled by the _convenience_ of the coincidence regarding the name of your new protégé and…"

And then, Kagome surprised – no, shocked – Kagewaki for the first time in years as her usual cheery expression melted within an instant, replaced by seriousness more befitting her age but thoroughly unnatural on her face.

"I've given up on paranoia, Hitomi-san; perhaps you should as well. I see it as well as you do – and perhaps even better – and I decided to let it go. Moreover, you yourself said that they are going to die… does it upset you that much that I try to be on friendly terms with them?"

"You are much too kind, Kagome-sama."

A small frown; that of a child asking a question in innocence. "And that is a fault?"

"In some cases." Kagewaki admitted.

"I cannot agree with that."

"I expected as much." The daimyo didn't exactly sigh, but he seemed to be both resigned and disappointed with that decision. "In any case, we didn't come here to debate philosophy, did we? What information has the wolf provided you with?"

"There have been tremors and disturbances in youki in the nearby areas and it is likely that with the stronger energy from the battles of the semi-finals and finals, the area covered with the pulling effect of the resident youki will increase. Kouga's promised to keep a few lookouts here and contact me as soon as anything is sighted."

"That is the best we can hope for. In the meantime, I would focus on assessing how to get rid of the demons on the to-purify list post-tournament." Kagewaki then proceeded to suggest a method of doing so.

Kagome could only stare. "You realize that that would put you in risk as well."

"I would say that I am the last one you should worry about, Kagome-sama."

X X X X X

The semi-finals were taking place in a new, larger and more foreboding-looking stadium. Just how much money could have been spent on other, more fulfilling things, Kurama didn't dare guess. He himself had stored enough riches in his lifetime to know that wealth could take over the mind of almost anyone. Human minds were very easily manipulated, as he knew, and that Yusuke and the masked fighter had gone to "settle their scores" for whatever eruption of anger, righteous or not, was only a testimony of that fact.

His own worries were different. Though he had tried, he still couldn't think of a way or strategy they could employ to defeat Team Toguro. Their progress through the tournament had been steady, if skating on a knife's tip, but he alone perhaps understood that they were far from evenly matched with the reigning champions. They would highly likely get into the finale, true, but their enemies were a class above all other apparitions and demons in the tournament.

And they… they were weak. He felt it. They were skilled, true, and had a great potential for growth in the future, but their current strength was overpowered by that of their enemies.

Perhaps his heart simply wasn't in these battles. They were empty, the fights, and he had grown to look forward to the small luxury of being able to see Kagome once a day, at least. In a short time, he had grown to love her; partially because Youko already loved her, even if that word would seem foreign to him, but also because the priestess was an easy person to love. And perhaps also because he saw in her a certain hope; she herself had said that she had been ordered to slay Toguro and his gang, should they win.

Could concern be enough to push the priestess to hasten the process of disposal? It wasn't honourable to ask such a thing from her and he didn't intend to do so, but it was a possibility he needed to calculate with. Death or honor? Most would suppose that with a past such as his, he had little use for honour.

But he was no longer the King of Thieves in Makai. Mortality seemed a much more realistic concept to him now.

He needed a walk; and air, fresh air, without the stench of the demons and the aftertaste of their jeers. But surprisingly, he saw a petite figure in black near the exit, leaning against the railing, watching the last minutes of a match that was soon to end. The semifinals and their teams had almost been decided.

"Are the VIP rooms not more comfortable to watch the tournament from?" he asked from behind her when she didn't seem to notice him, which was odd.

The priestess turned around with the slightest surprise before offering a warm smile. From his overly detailed examinations of her behaviour, he had been able to determine that this was a rarity and that she had such gifts only for a select few.

"I have endured that experience and I really don't wish to repeat it. Besides, surprises like this are much more pleasing than small-talk with human criminals. I thought you were having a team meeting; I didn't want to interrupt."

"Your interruption would have certainly been more pleasant than the one we received." Kurama noted, referring to the moment when their soon-to-be opponents had graced them with their presence.

Kagome frowned, straightening up, and they proceeded to leave the stadium together without any kind of impulse from either side. It just seemed the natural thing to do when the match was over. "Why? What happened?"

"The usual attempted intimidation. Nothing we couldn't handle."

"I guess." Kagome paused, and the intensity of her concern made Kurama wonder whether or not there was a chance that she could read minds. "But you look kind of serious… are you telling me everything?"

"Everything that you could concern yourself with." Kurama assured her. The last thing she needed to know was how desperate the team felt. Or rather, have it confirmed from their mouths. "You need not burden yourself with more."

"I'll only grow more worried if you don't tell me."

That actually made Kurama wish he could laugh at this, but it was impossible. He had no wish to speak of death at the moment. No, he had reached a different conclusion. Whether he was to die or not wasn't important; he wanted to make use of the time they had left and tell Kagome everything. She had a right to know; because of the past, but also because of his perceptiveness in seeing that she might also have begun to care for him as he was now, without regards to the past.

She deserved to know, because she would find out eventually and could misunderstand the intention behind the silence. A stranger couldn't barge into her life to turn it upside-down with one impossible claim.

"Kagome-san…" But no, that wasn't the right way to begin. If he was to be fully honest, the restrictive politeness he was brought up to use had to be momentarily sacrificed. "Kagome, if I may… I think we need to talk. No, we _do_ need to talk. I'm afraid I have postponed this for far too long."

"Is something wrong?" Kagome asked. She didn't seem to spend a moment on the loss of her honorific, though at a different time, it might have struck her as strange. "You look… pale, actually. You know that I'm not going to hurt you; certainly not more than I already have." she quickly said, hoping that this wasn't the case. That had certainly not been her intention and she was regretting it even now. "I'm still sorry about that, you know."

"You aren't making this any easier for me, you know." Kurama admitted. If someone had taken a picture of them at the moment, he wouldn't have been surprised to see a drop of sweat trailing down his temple. How was he to tell her this – how was he to _begin_? Out of the thousands of different scenarios he had imagined, none seemed to fit the reality of it.

"How come?" Kagome blinked quizzically.

"You show me great kindness." Kurama noted, speaking as directly and plainly as possible, as Kagome responded well to such speech. "And then I will not be prepared to face your disappointment and… anger."

"Anger? That isn't what I feel when we speak."

"You feel something?" He hadn't meant to ask that, but the question had been voiced before he had a chance to think about it. "What?"

"Kinship. Friendship." The priestess shrugged, but it seemed that she had no trouble defining her emotions. "A lot of things, but not anger."

Kurama simply hoped it would stay that way once he had said everything that needed to be said. "I have deceived you, Kagome-san; I cannot do so any longer. I feel no friendship towards you."

"Oh." Disappointment crept into Kagome's voice, predictably. Perhaps it was wrong to feel a tinge of happiness at the sight, but Kurama did. That was all the encouragement he needed. "I… that is to say, I… I… can understand that… I suppose…"

"My feelings for you aren't those of platonic affection, Kagome-san." Kurama clarified, speaking politely once more on impulse. "I don't think they ever were."

And Kagome went from gloomy to pale within the span of two seconds. "Kurama-san… I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." was the soft retort. "Please just let me finish." She had not yet heard anything-

"No, Kurama-san, I'd rather you didn't. I-I don't want to be cruel and wicked. I said I don't want to hurt you." Kagome took a step back, shaking her head.

"It won't be me who will be hurt if you don't let me finish." The priestess froze when a warm hand was placed on her forearm, an insignificant gesture between friends, but far more intimate, even than anything most people dared do. The jewel around her neck remained as it was; shimmering, pale, mauve, showing no sign of changing or reacting to a foreign, demonic touch. "This isn't the deception I spoke of. I haven't been honest with you on a different account."

"But I-" Beep. Beep, beep. BEEP. Kagome seemed to snap out of a trance she was about to accept. She dug into the pouch on her belt, whipping out a small device that Kurama recognized quite well. A communicator from Reikai. Of all the inconvenient times… "That's Kouga-kun." Widened eyes. The message was important and vital… and Kagome seemed to be feverishly excited. "A sighting! Twenty-mile radius of the shore! I have to go."

"I could go with you." And tell her along the way.

But Kagome shook her dark tresses once more, her mind focused on her mission. It would take her some time before she would remember that she had almost been faced with a declaration of the gentlest kind – or what she supposed had been one. "No; the unfamiliar youki would scare InuYasha or drive him into a rage. Better that only I go."

There was no swaying her, Kurama saw; the look in her eyes was determined. She wouldn't have listened if he told her now. She was already far away, in her mind. And what was an hour, or two, of additional waiting? Wait he could – he had waited for all of his human lifetime. "I will need to tell you once you return. I wish to correct my wrong before any evil comes of it. All I ask is that you hear me out." he said gently, this time taking Kagome by the hand.

And the priestess drew a breath, deeper than those before, to gather the courage to look him in the eyes. A solemn promise with her word. "All right, then. Once I return."

X X X X X

Nothing.

A journey as quick as she had ever made it, but the end result amounted to less than a sighting: all Kagome had been able to determine was that InuYasha had indeed been present in the woods and he had clearly vanished from the spot hours ago, at the very least. But a trace was better than nothing and Kagome was quite certain that her efforts weren't in vain now. She sent a thank you message to Kouga, but then hurried back to the island.

Doubtless the fighting had already started.

Doubtless Kurama was still intent on speaking to her about his so-called deception.

Kagome didn't know what to think; though she had never been one to weigh words too much, she had absolutely no idea how to explain the perfect illogical sequence of her feelings, which refused to relinquish their attachment to someone all of Reikai and perhaps even Makai thought dead. And if she should say it, then Kurama would believe that she saw in him only a replacement for someone she had lost.

It was true and then it wasn't. She had come to notice Kurama for all the things he didn't share with Youko, but as each day passed, she was finding it difficult to continue turning a blind eye to their obvious similarities.

Something was amiss, or perhaps her senses had surrendered to insanity, seeing a creature that she could care for in a similar matter as she had for her world-wise kitsune and deducing that they had to have something in common.

And they did, now. Because Kagome was beginning to realize that, all her good intentions aside, she had begun to segregate Kurama from the rest of the group and if she thought of an individual member of the team, it was always him. He had the wisdom of ancients and yet could still be utterly human. He was, in a way, a creature Youko could have become, under different circumstances and in a different world.

It was the bitterness speaking out of her, and she was ashamed that she was comparing them even now, but she knew one thing: her enemies and her quest was eternal, and he was still young and (she hated to say it) weak in comparison to those she fought. She had no right to ruin a life with such potential and promise of greatness. Even if it meant pain.

Pain was passing. Pain could be healed with the remedy of time. Scars were a different matter, but better to carry those than suffer.

No one questioned her passage; no one dared, really. Everyone knew her power, even if they didn't know her face – which was almost impossible these days. Judging from the state of things in the ring when she entered, it would have been pointless to attempt to get to the VIP area, so Kagome remained standing where she was, which certainly scared the hell out of the closest bystanders.

In terms of power, the teams weren't too evenly matched, but as things were in favour of the Reikai team, she didn't think of it as a bad thing. Unfortunately, she could make out only three figures on one side of the ring (one being within the centre, the others standing aback and watching). She recognized Kurama in the centre of the ring by his red hair, and Kuwabara and Hiei by their particular stances (and hair as well) outside of it. Where were the two others?

Kagome barely watched the fighting thanks to that. She kept wondering about the argument Kurama had mentioned to her previously. Was something going on in the Urameshi team? In-team problems weren't good for their chances of survival… she would have to speak to Koenma the next time she had a chance. He was around, she knew, but both of them had very busy schedules and so had little time to spare for small-talk. But she had intended to talk to him, if only about the risk they had been exposed to – the risk of scars, new ones, lasting ones. She didn't want anyone to suffer as she had.

The moment a thick, milky smoke began engulfing the ring – or the stage, no matter how you looked at it – Kagome couldn't suppress a frown. She had seen such tactics before and even in this tournament, it had been only employed by a weak fighter. Only those that had no skill in real combat waited for the shroud of darkness to help their attacks. And, truthfully, such a description fit the small demon from the opposing team perfectly. There was no strength within him; Kagome would have judged him to be a D-class beast, and that was being generous.

And then, thunder erupted all around, disturbing her thoughts, which crashed into pieces like a particularly fragile piece of glass.

She knew that sound. It held the promise of a blizzard.

But no… no… no… no, it couldn't be. It couldn't be, she repeated to herself, because she was not mad, she was calm and serene and her sorrow had no further hold on her. But from the vague terror and awe that swept the stadium and the rampant babbling of the announcer, it seemed that the delusion was not a product of her senses.

_You are the first to see it this clearly._

Crackling of youki. Powerful, true, but in comparison to what Kagome remembered, a mere shadow.

_Separation isn't a matter of choice any longer._

Two souls, one body. But the energy of the older, alien presence was too great for the human body to control; it could only contain it, but not release it, acting as a seal, suppressing it.

She was so stupid, so foolish, so blind! Everything was right before her eyes; and the worst thing was that she had seen it, but convinced herself that she was being delusional. She was expecting jubilation to overcome her senses, but it didn't come. It never came; she didn't feel it.

Inside the misty shroud, time flew backwards. Kurama saw moments from his human life that had remained in his memory before all others, but he was just a watcher, helpless to stop the unnatural process. His strength was leaving him, and though it was not agonizing, it was draining in every sense of the word. And then, just as he was about to find some means of fighting despite his dreadful disadvantage and unfortunate moment of naïveté, he disappeared.

And so completely that nothing remained of him, for time had moved past the moment of his birth, past the moment when Minamino Shuichi had been born one and a half a decade ago. The human was suddenly gone.

With a crushing intensity of a seal released, energy long-suppressed materialized in the physical world. In comparison to its predecessor – or successor, no matter how one looked at it – there was nothing even remotely human-like about this power surge. After all those years of quiet rest, regaining his strength slowly, Youko Kurama was thrust back into the world without anything to contain and limit him, and it was an abrupt, if unpleasant awakening.

He had been watching the battles of the tournament with a somewhat bored outlook, knowing that none of the demons present, the reigning champions including, would have been worth his time if he had a say about it. Unfortunately, he didn't have much choice, so he had grudgingly accepted his ordeal in exchange for having Kagome nearby. Of course, this presented somewhat of a problem; unlike most others, he had sensed her arrival long before she had entered the stadium itself, so he supposed that he would have a lot of explaining to do.

Reforming his physical body was surprisingly easy and Youko found that, save for the fact that the actual power behind his skills was still limited, he had access to all of his abilities, all of which were too strong to be wasted on the little worm that was supposed to be his opponent.

It was the strange magic box that intrigued him. Its powers were obvious, because he had not known that there could be a way to disrupt the merge – for that was all it was, a disruption. He was reasonably certain that once the mist would disperse, the effects of the box would be cancelled and he would once more be forced to retreat into his human prison. But still, it was an intriguing device.

And after fifteen years of exile, Youko wasn't feeling particularly generous or nice.

Some minutes into the battle, the smoke began to clear, the anticipation of the crowd heightening. Kagome knew all her strength was spent on not having her knees break down underneath her weight. Sweat was pouring down her pale face, giving her a feverish look and she was leaning against the railings for support, thus effectively shielding her face from the view of others courtesy of her long hair.

There was silence in her mind. Silence; blankness, blissful emptiness. The sound of her own breathing was loud, pounding in her ears like the strongest drums. But her heart? She couldn't hear her heartbeat. She didn't sense it stuck in her throat, not even to suffocate her, and she didn't feel it beating frantically in her chest. But the heart was traitorous; the heart had perhaps known before and chose to deceive her again.

Lies and lies and lies!

And he was beautiful, and he was savage in some form of bestiality that could appear innocent, one who rendered the colours associated with warmth into ice and still make the shivers seem pleasant. He was winter, the embodiment of the spirit of winter, white and pure as snow, cold and sharp as frost, strong and enduring as ice, powerful as a blizzard and equally able to change the shape of a landscape of a person's soul. As magnificent as a clear midnight sky in the middle of the season when nature, under a sleeping spell, was laid to rest.

He was winter.

And then he was summer, with all its warmth, the flame forever captured in his hair, the plants that were his to command reflected in his eyes… Kagome couldn't look anymore.

Lies!

She ought to feel anger. She ought to feel joy.

She felt nothing.

Nothing except for a mix of betrayal and ecstasy and terror, a dance in her mind and heart that was bordering on the edges of insanity. And in the face of such beauty, such horrors, she was left utterly human and did the only thing a human would have done.

He saw her up there – both of them did, in a way. And for the first time in a long time, Youko saw with his own eyes, the world as it was, the human world this time, and his opinion of it was not the best. But the only regret he had was that Kagome wasn't the first sight he was graced with after years of captivity. The distant, small figure was as he remembered her from the last time he had gazed upon the face.

That had been the day when she had been sent to kill him. Only then, she had had more control over her own self. This time, she was clearly terrified, even though no one else would have likely called it that. She looked ready to faint, the little statue of a priestess carved from obsidian and ivory. And, in all honesty, who could blame her?

But despite her clear reaction, knowing the difficulty it would be to persuade her of the truth of the matter, he had no intention whatsoever of straying from the original plan. That being that even with his current limitations, even with his strange existence, he would reclaim her permanently. His human side loved her, without question, though he was far too restricted by his traditional Japanese upbringing to be so bold as to act upon it more actively than verbally. And he? For him, nothing had changed.

He had lost followers, friends, his secure existence and much of his power for the sake of obtaining Kagome; a heavy price to pay for a daring desire to possess something he should never have wanted. But it had been paid, and so now, he felt that he deserved to receive what he had sacrificed for.

Even if it took years again, he _would_ have Kagome.

When Kurama returned, he saw that the black figure was gone. But within him, the conviction and emotion remained.


	35. Beyond the mirror

Hello all! First, sorry about the fake chapter alerts – had some problems with my account, plus I figured I wasn't really doing the chapter justice, so I decided to rewrite it from scratch, as it were. Lame excuses, I know, but true ones. Besides, it isn't easy to write the emotional state Kagome is currently in. so yeah, I hope I didn't go as far as to descend into OOC land. This chapter is Kagome-centric, while the next one will be Kurama-centric. I simply needed to tackle the issue from both points of view and it wasn't working that well when compressed into one chapter.

I wanted to choose only a particular part of this song, but I found that I really couldn't, because it fits the scene wonderfully and I always imagined it as it is in the Disney movie. Now, I know that Disney is nothing too classy nowadays, but I loved Meg in Hercules. Doesn't she remind you of Shizuru at times? Though honestly, Sakyo was way hotter than Hercules. Heh.

On with the story!

X X X

**Beyond the mirror**

X X X X X

If there's a prize for rotten judgement,  
I guess I've already won that  
No man is worth the aggravation  
That's ancient history,  
Been there, done that  
_  
Who'd ya think you're kidding?  
He's the earth and heaven to ya  
Try to keep it hidden, honey we can see right through ya  
Girl ya can't conceal it  
We know how you're feelin', who you're thinking of...  
_  
No chance, no way, I won't say it, no, no  
_You swoon, you sigh, why deny it, uh oh_  
It's too cliché! I won't say I'm in love

I thought my heart had learned its lesson  
It feels so good when ya start out  
My head is screaming "get a grip, girl!"  
"Unless you're dying to cry your heart out!"

_You keep on denying  
Who you are and how you're feelin'  
Baby, we're not lying, hone we saw ya hit the ceiling  
Face it like a grown up  
When ya gonna own up that ya got, got, got it bad?_

No chance, no way, I won't say it, no, no!  
_Give up, give in  
Check the grin, you're in love!  
_This scene won't play - won't say I'm in love

You're way off base, I won't say it!  
Get off my case! I won't say it!_  
Girl, don't be proud, it's ok, you're in love_

At least out loud... I won't say I'm in love

- I Won't Say (I'm In Love) – Disney, Hercules

X X X X X

When in peril, the human body, or the body of any creature had two tendencies: fight or run. Kagome chose the latter in this case, because there was no one to fight.

Probably no one saw the black blur vanish from the spot and the stadium, though some must have felt the energy leave with unusual speed. The priestess actually had no conscious control over her speed – had she been asked, she wouldn't have claimed to be able to move so quickly. It was simply that distress often caused one to exceed the limitations of the physical body.

She had no fixed idea of where to flee or what to do – there was ultimately no escaping the revelation, but at the moment, she wasted no time on such thoughts. She needed to get away from him at least physically, before she would do something unbelievably stupid.

Her only saving grace were the years of restraint and control over her own powers she possessed, because otherwise, the whole stadium might have been in ashes already. The new stadium, she left behind. Gradually, with each step, she was slowing down somewhat and found a general direction in which she intended to go.

Thus, inevitably, she was to cross paths with those who were going from the old stadium to the new, for that was her route, in reverse of course.

She would have sensed them before she heard them, but Kagome realized, to her unpleasant surprise, that the single thought that Youko was alive in some shape or form was enough to capture her attention so thoroughly that her powers of perception could have amounted to nil.

Especially considering the size of the group: it was Kuwabara, who was talking the loudest, leading the group of girls towards the new stadium. Shippo was with them as well, contrasting wildly with Yukina's hair when seated on her shoulder, where he seemed quite comfortable. Only Kirara was missing, due to a wise decision on Shippo's part, as he had to leave someone to watch Kagome's things and because he had been told about Kuwabara's borderline obsession with kittens.

"And then I leapt at him and…"

Kuwabara was obviously describing one of his (lost) duels to impress the girls, notably Yukina, much to Shippo's annoyance, as he had to be too close to the boy in question because of that. Kagome didn't even mildly wonder what the human boy was doing here when she had left him back at the stadium with the others.

"Oh, hi, Kagome-chan!" he called out in a tone that suggested high spirits. Kuwabara had a habit of using the –chan honorific on every girl he was acquainted with friendlily and none of them took any offence in it, the priestess including. "I thought you were supposed to be at the stadium, I sensed it when you came in."

"Weren't _you_ supposed to be at the stadium?" Kagome asked, despite herself, stopping in front of the group.

"Oh. I was, but… well the freakin' pretty-boy cheated when he didn't have the guts to take me on!" He then briefly launched into a ramble about his opponent's strategy, which involved teleporting Kuwabara away to a random spot. Kagome almost winced when he mentioned the Cape of No Return. But Shizuru noticed, and Keiko thought she saw the priestess tense for an instant. "Wait, does that mean it's over?" Kuwabara sounded vaguely horrified. Then, his expression became the perfect parody of anger. "I'm seriously gonna bash Hiei's face in if he took the rest of them on alone!"

"You know, that would actually mean you won." Shippo commented with a studious expression.

Kuwabara spared the kit a perplexed glance. "So?"

Shippo rolled his eyes and suppressed a sigh. The boy was hopeless, but he refrained from saying it out loud. He was just preparing to swap his seat for a place on Kagome's shoulder when he glanced at her face properly for the first time. Instantly, he saw that something was wrong. Kagome's energy fluctuation was all wrong, from what he could sense. And she looked… he couldn't even begin to describe it. The last time she had looked anything like this had been… had been years ago, when he had first met her.

Not when she lay dying on the rocks. Afterwards.

"Kagome?" he asked softly, carefully. She seemed to be fighting the primal urge to cry, though whether in anger or joy or grief, he couldn't for the life of him tell.

But at that point, Shizuru took over, for several reasons. The major one was that she was the oldest girl around, thus with the most experiences in the real human world – Kagome didn't really count, as she led a completely different life, in what could hardly be considered the normal world. Another was that all of the other girls were hardly going to be very helpful in resolving problems; Botan was too cheerful, Yukina too timid and Keiko not street-wise enough to deal with problems less abstract than a failed homework.

Kazuma and Shippo were not even worth mentioning in this case. This was a case of much-needed girl-talk, as interrogating Botan and Shippo had been thoroughly unsuccessful. Shippo knew next to nothing about Kagome's love-life and Botan weaselled out of it with surprising slickness for such an obvious blabbermouth. While it showed that she cared about Kagome as a friend, it was also an obvious hindrance in this case. To help with a problem, one required knowledge of the topic. And aside from the obvious and the snippets learned from one conversation, Kagome was still very much alien territory.

Shizuru would have likely normally used more drastic methods, but the priestess looked utterly miserable from up close, but there was a hint of feverishness in her eyes. Rather like a very tired person with a high temperature, someone that had just learned the seriousness of their illness. Instead of anything too radical, Shizuru simply placed both hands on Kagome's shoulders and shook her ever-so-slightly, surprisingly gently.

"Hey, girl. Snap out of it. Look at me!" she finally said more imperiously when Kagome seemed deaf to her words. The priestess obliged, her gaze almost unfocused. Not a good sign. "What happened? You look worse than if your pet hamster died."

And then, Shizuru realized why she seemed unfocused. Kagome's eyes found Botan, who was walking last in their little line, thanks to her display of complete lack of sense of direction. The priestess regarded the blue-headed girl for what seemed a long time and steel emerged from the fire in her eyes, taking the form of her voice, unusually dark and accusatory.

"You knew." Two words, without any true context.

Botan's reaction was natural: confusion. "Wha-?"

But Kagome didn't let her finish. She stepped past Shizuru without even acknowledging her or her words and advanced towards Botan as if she were a messenger of death, an emotionless executioner. She even looked the part now, not to mention sounded it.

"All this time, you knew and told me nothing. Explain yourself." The words contained a challenge.

"I-" The ferry girl looked afraid, despite knowing that Kagome wouldn't harm her, even as she realized what Kagome meant.

Of course Botan knew; she had known from the moment Koenma had announced it to her some time prior to the tournament. But at the same time, he asked her to keep it quiet from Kagome, as Kurama wanted to tell her himself one day. She respected that wish, though the secrecy was chewing on the edges of her nerves and she was afraid she would accidentally spill it. But Kurama had also taken the time to ask her not to say anything. It had actually been a very nice conversation; for once, no one was acting as if she was nothing than an overly cheerful airhead, which she appreciated. She couldn't even begin to understand why everyone had always said that Youko Kurama was the coldest cutthroat and thief in all of Makai. Kurama certainly didn't seem anything like that when he had spoken to her.

She regretted that moment long ago when she had encouraged Kagome to try and complete the impossible task and destroy him.

"K-Kagome-chan, I-he told you?"

But that made no sense. If he had told her, he would have explained things to her, everything! Botan didn't understand; he himself had said that separation from his human body was impossible. And she had seen some archived images of Youko Kurama, incomplete and low-quality as they were. The two of them weren't entirely identical in physical appearance.

"He didn't have to." the priestess replied, her expression unchanging, her gaze unwavering, unblinking. Botan felt like a victim whose head was ready to be chopped off by the guillotine hanging above her. "I saw it more than clearly."

"What's going on?" Keiko interjected. She had only a vague idea of what the two girls might be talking about, but she had deduced that there was something troubling going on. In general, that meant that there was impending danger of some kind. And Keiko still hadn't gotten used to the constant vigilance all of them had to keep maintaining nowadays. She doubted she ever would get used to it completely. "What are you talking about?" she asked, looking from one to the other.

The priestess didn't bother answering; it was doubtful that she ever heard the question. Instead, she gave Botan one last, cold glance and stalked away in an almost military fashion.

"Kagome-chan, wait, please!" Botan cried desperately, running to catch up with the priestess. "You don't know everything if you only saw…!"

Kagome stopped and whirled around in a flash, so fast that her loose hair whipped Botan across the face. "It was quite enough!" she said sternly before moving to continue on.

But, afraid as she was, Botan caught the priestess by the forearm. It would have been impertinence if her plea wasn't so sincere. "Please… talk to him!" she begged, quite in contrast with her usual cheerful manner. "He wanted to tell you long ago!"

That caught Kagome's attention, but not in the manner Botan would have wished. "How _long_ ago?"

"Just a few months ago." the ferry girl answered apologetically. She was now the little girl trying to apologize to her strict mother for doing something that seemed exceedingly stupid in retrospect. "From the moment he told us. When the first case started."

"Could someone translate this into normal speech, please?" Shizuru interjected. She had to step in before something ugly would happen, likely in the form of words that would hurt one side of the conflict unnecessarily. Her brother, now that he finally had a good chance to act like a man, was dumbly standing in the background and staring. Great. Be useless when you can, that had to be his motto, but he seemed to be thinking about something, which was more unusual.

"Kagome, what's going on?" Yukina had caught up with him, but it was Shippo who voiced the question, when it turned out that the koorime wouldn't speak. Perhaps she considered it too impertinent. "Did something happen to Kurama?" He was apparently concerned for both of them, which was both a good and bad sign.

But again, Kagome's attention was focused solely on the ferry girl, who seemed to be on the verge of trembling just because of that. Never before had the priestess seemed so like what she had pictured Youko Kurama might be like. "I believe you, Botan-chan." Kagome said finally, but there was no gentleness in her voice. "But I don't want you near me now." Botan felt as if she had been slapped, hard. It was like being cast away.

"Slow down and explain things before Keiko gets a trauma." Shizuru spoke when silence fell, finally gaining the attention of both girls. And truly, Keiko looked very worried, though she was the only one who had not approached Kagome yet.

Neither tone nor expression changed in Kagome even as she looked at Shizuru. "This isn't your concern." she said shortly, dismissively.

The older girl resisted the urge to roll her eyes. No wonder Kagome had such a personality, if she had resolved all her issues on her own until that point. "Gods, you're so stupid." At last, Kagome blinked, surprised if not astonished. It took guts to say such an audacity to her in her current state; Shizuru certainly had that. Plus, she wasn't a demon, so she had little to fear from the priestess. "Honestly. Friends worry about each other, you know. And in case you haven't noticed, we're trying to be your friends for some time."

If at all possible, Kagome looked even more surprised. She had friends, yes; Miroku and Sango and Shippo, the Reikai palace residents and Kouga's tribe, but she hadn't made new friends in years. There was neither time nor opportunity for it. Therefore, she didn't understand such a sentiment. "Why?"

This time, Shizuru really rolled her eyes. "Because." she answered simply, as if that was the complete truth that needed no explanation.

And seeing Kagome calmed – for the answer had subdued her considerably – Keiko gathered the courage to speak. "She's right, Kagome-san. Besides, Kurama-san is our friend too. You don't have to carry the weigh of the world on your shoulders. We'd like to help you." she insisted, hoping that it was diplomatic enough. Clearly, anger was only the initial defensive reaction to some problem that was troubling Kagome. And while Keiko didn't have Botan's passion for matchmaking, she believed that Kurama looked much happier nowadays than during the first few times she had seen him, though they were very subtle signs. "Is there any kind of trouble?"

Kagome regarded them all carefully. Perhaps she could hope to read emotions from their faces, but that was it. In the end, however, she decided to speak, though the heaviness remained.

"Does the name Youko Kurama mean anything to you?" she asked, glancing at them all one by one.

What had the chance to become a thoughtful silence was broken by Shippo, who literally sprang up on Yukina's shoulder, a look of awe and triumph in his large eyes. "I knew it! I mean, I didn't, but I really hoped!" he amended when Kagome looked at him with a strange, hurt expression, which evaporated – fortunately – after he corrected himself. "It's him, isn't it?"

"Yeah, Hiei was saying something like that when that weird fog rose in the arena and – hey, I get it!" It was as if an imaginary light bulb had flashed to life above Kuwabara's head. The boy had been silent up till then, but now that he knew what they were talking about, he saw the chance to rejoin the conversation without making an utter fool out of himself. "That was when Kurama transformed into that super fox mode, right?"

"Transformed?" Keiko asked with interest and surprised awe.

"Super fox mode?" Yukina repeated, the only person from whom it wouldn't sound mocking or cynical.

"Yeah!" Kuwabara grinned most brightly at Yukina, though the rest received the same expression in some measure. "You really missed something, guys. You see, this weird time-reverse fog appeared out of a box and it was supposed to turn him into a baby, but then there was this power surge and when the smoke vanished, Kurama looked really different and kinda cool!"

"I'm not sure it's a good sign when you say such things, Kazuma." Shizuru piped up sceptically. She knew her brother's wild imagination well.

"No, really, sis! Actually, I think that half of Shishiwakamaru's fangirls stopped cheering for that louse when the camera got close enough to him." The close-ups of the matches were filmed and appeared on the large widescreen above the arena, so that all viewers could see what was going on hundreds of meters below them, far away even for the best eyesight. Demon women fawning over Youko – Kagome could very well imagine that. She had seen and experienced it first-hand. But she had never thought of them as fangirls, really. "He had a tail and fox ears, like that little furball," Shippo glared at him, catching sight of the glance he received. "and his hair and clothes were white! Now _that_ I really don't get. I mean, I get everything else, but the change of clothes was plain weird."

But Shippo wasn't listening by then and jumped up again excitedly. That was all the proof he required to confirm that it was doubtlessly… "A silver kitsune! It's definitely him!"

"Mind finally telling us who?" Shizuru asked, taking out a cigarette while they were talking, as it really seemed hat they would be standing there for some time.

"Wait, I think I remember." Yukina noted, capturing everyone's attention. "My aunts used to tell me that some years ago, the most famous demon in Makai was a great kitsune thief. I think he _was_ called Youko Kurama, but I don't really remember much. All I know is that he was rumoured to have died during a botched robbery." She finished, looking at Kagome questioningly, as if hoping to be corrected.

Kagome nodded curtly. "Yes, to be reborn as your friend." she said laconically. When that didn't suffice, she offered a short explanation. "He fled the Makai and inserted himself into a human woman, who gave birth to a child with the soul of a thousand-year-old demon sealed within it."

There was a moment of silence, eventually interrupted by the sound of a lighter and cigarette. "Now that's big." Shizuru said, but she didn't seem too unbalanced by the fact. "But it explains a lot. I mean, Kurama hardly behaves like a typical guy his age, from what I've seen. And he certainly is smarter. Makes sense."

"It seems so surreal." Keiko admitted, "I guess I can see why this upsets you. It's kind of a big secret to have…"

"No, that isn't the problem." Yukina interjected softly. This time, she truly looked Kagome in the eyes, and, surprisingly, the soft-spoken koorime was the one to see furthest and not receive a steel reaction. "It's Youko-san you love, isn't it." She didn't voice it as a question, because it was what she believed to be the truth. Again, Kagome seemed to wince, almost.

"I did." she admitted. But she wasn't about to start discussing the preset, not just yet, when she herself was so shaken and uncertain. But she resolved not to lie – she was telling the truth. "Years ago. It's complicated, but a demon that wanted us both dead almost succeeded in both cases."

"Years ago?" Kuwabara repeated. "I'm sorry, but just how old are you, Kagome-chan?"

"I'm pushing seven hundred now, why?" Kagome didn't really understand why they were all looking at her as if she had fallen from the sky.

"Well, it's pretty simple now, isn't it?" Shippo said, with the obliviousness of a true child. "Where's the reunion and happy ending?"

"Kagome-chan…" Keiko began, to divert the priestess's attention from an open admission. "If you didn't love him, you wouldn't have left."

But they had reached the breaking point and Kagome refused to budge. She shrugged off all offers of help and moved to walk away. "I need to be alone now, please."

"Shouldn't I come with you, Kagome?" the kit asked anxiously.

Kagome shook her head. "No, Shippo-chan, go enjoy the last battles. I think they haven't finished yet. Energy is still moving in the area of the stadium."

"So we're actually going in the right direction this time? That's great news." Shizuru muttered, glancing at both Botan and her brother. Only the latter saw it.

"Do you want us to say something to Kurama-san?" Keiko asked gently, approaching Kagome one last time. She knew well how it was with her fights with Yusuke – often, she didn't want to be the one to speak with him afterwards and wished that a third person could have done it in her stead, as a representative. "I'm sure he'll want to speak with you as soon as possible…"

"Tell him…" Kagome drew a breath. Tell him what? That she hated that he had deceived her, that she had felt her heart would burst when she saw the truth, that she had loved him before she knew it? All were relatively true options, but none were suitable. "Tell him I'll speak with him. But right now, I don't want to see him. I don't want to be near him. I can't."

The rest of the group watched her walk away with equal worry in their eyes.

"What should we do?" Yukina ultimately asked.

"Nothing." Shizuru deadpanned, stomping the remains of her cigarette to quench the fire. "First, she has to set her head straight. Then, we can force her into admitting the obvious."

"The obvious?" Shippo repeated.

"If you can't see it, I won't tell you." She retorted helpfully, though Shizuru supposed that Shippo was still really a kid at heart and didn't see that kind of thing. Besides, she felt sappy enough as it was, giving someone love advice. But no one would likely take up that task if they didn't.

Shizuru was more right than she knew on several counts. The first being that Shippo, in awe that he had met the current incarnation of Youko Kurama, wasn't as perceptive as usual. The second being that Kagome's deceiving herself couldn't possibly last too long. The third, that she needed to set her head straight – more so than Shizuru knew.

But on the final account, she was wrong. Kagome had someone to turn to for advice, unwillingly.

The priestess suffered from nightmares at times. She had gotten used to them, for the most part; with the lifestyle she led, she had to. But her current dreams were much more colourful and bright, though they left her with equal fear than the darkest nightmare might.

Because in her dreams, she saw her reflection embodied in a living creature, speaking to her, at long last, regarding her with intelligence. And it wasn't a one-sided babble or incoherent words.

In her dreams, Kikyo spoke to her as clearly as if she were alive.

Sleep was said to be the greatest medicine and Kagome surrendered to it once in her hotel room. Once, she had mastered the art of crying herself to sleep. Now, she didn't need to even shed a single tear. She allowed her emotions to take the form of fatigue and claim her whole.

And on a vibrant meadow at dusk, her counterpart stood, clad in the garb of a priestess, with no jewel or weaponry to burden her. Kagome found herself sitting in the grass nearby, on a tree stump that she believed was recent. And without a pretext, their conversation began, as fluidly as if they had been speaking for hours already, as if they knew each other extremely well, as if this was real.

"So he lives." Kikyo said, calmly allowing the wind to sweep through her clothing. Kagome, nodded. She didn't really even register the general oddness of the situation. They were in Ningenkai, where the ancient priestess hand set foot for who knew how many years. "Why did it come as such a surprise?" the priestess asked with a bit of curiosity. "You knew it was possible."

Kagome couldn't answer. He was alive… Even the presence of Kikyo or how she knew that the other woman, who might have been a mirror image, was the dead priestess InuYasha had loved was of no consequence. In front of her eyes, the image of the mist retreating appeared again and again. Emotions were a thunderstorm in her heart, and she didn't know what to say.

"It shouldn't be possible." she said finally. "Only human souls face judgment. Demons are usually devoured or destroyed.

"Yet here he is. What will you do now?"

"What should I do? What can I do?" Kagome amended, her voice dropping into a murmur. She had no answers.

"You can stop pitying yourself, it doesn't become you." Kikyo remarked, rather sternly.

Kagome's eyes flashed upwards, flaring with the suppressed emotions. "Self-pity?" she repeated in tones of anger. "He lied to me! Fifteen years…!"

"What is that time to you? A speck in a storm." The more Kagome flared up, the calmer Kikyo seemed in comparison, though there was a coldness to her grace that living people usually didn't have. "Consider his position. He has undergone a transformation that even you cannot understand without further information. You have likely reacted just as he feared you would. And… he is deeply in love with you. Though at times I cannot imagine why."

The black-clad priestess considered this for a moment, but shook her loose tresses with the trace of childish defiance, though it was anything but that. "I can't just fall at his feet as if nothing had happened. I hardly know him now."

"That one was shaped by the one you love as his reflection in the human world. You deceive yourself if you claim not to care for him. Otherwise, you wouldn't be having these doubts." Kikyo explained patiently, all the while studying her counterpart's face with care. It was like an extra lesson at school, student and teacher, where the pupil stubbornly refused to accept a solution to a simple problem.

After a moment of chewing on her lower lip, Kagome presented another argument. "It's infidelity." she said flatly, with a hint of guilt.

It seemed that Kikyo smiled, but then again, she didn't as much as move a muscle. "No, it isn't. You fail to understand that while they are two, they are also one. And I do not mean in body only."

What was worst, however, was that both of them realized that Kagome knew this, but refused to acknowledge it. But in a conversation with her own voice of conscience, her defensive walls were being broken down in a matter of minutes. The blue-eyed priestess buried her face in her hands finally, a picture of desperation. If she had but a little less self-control, she would have probably burst into tears.

"What am I to do?" she whispered into her palms, the question intended more to herself than to her sparring partner.

The face of Kikyo remained impassive, unchanging. She stood up from the place on the meadow where she had been sitting and took Kagome's hands in hers. Finally, the other priestess woke from her daze and found herself face to face with a pair of intelligent brown eyes, one of the only physical differences they had.

"Listen to me. It has overwhelmed you, the revelation, and whether it was for the good or the bad, I cannot say. What you must decide now is which course of action you intend to pursue."

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked, her voice still weak. It seemed a dream, all of it; the tournament, Kurama… Kikyo…

The brown-eyed priestess had a serious expression on her fair face. "I saw when you cried for him when you believed he was dead. And I felt your thoughts when he reappeared. But you have tried to hate him with a passion for the last sixteen years. If one glimpse of his countenance is enough to destroy your focus, then forget all thoughts of vengeance."

Vengeance. Such a malevolent word, but it awoke another thought in her mind, like a match would light a candle. A candle that could begin a blazing inferno.

"Revenge…" Kagome echoed the synonym, her eyes finally focusing on Kikyo. "I have wanted it for some time… but I don't want it anymore. I tried to hate him, once." the priestess admitted, looking down at her sandals. "But I let go of that, because I refused to believe that anything the others believed was true." In Reikai, it had been believed for a long time that Youko had been the one to push Kagome off the cliff, to have her fall to her death. "When I saw him today… I didn't hate him. I could never hate him. But I didn't love him either."

Kikyo frowned. "Careful with your assumptions. They might lead you astray from the truth."

The words brought Kagome no comfort. It was what Youko would say. "I don't know how to feel about this. I had dreamed that such an utopia might come true, that he might still be alive, but there was no rush of joy when I saw him again. Only…"

"Betrayal." Kikyo interjected softly.

Kagome stared at her for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. But I guess… I guess that back then, I was too struck by the sensation of his return to truly feel anything more than shallow emotions. I think… I know I will have to face him again. It's just that I don't know what to trust in any longer." That Reikai – that _Koenma_ and _Botan_ had kept this from her – was a blow way under the belt.

"Remember that I suffered the same fate." Kikyo reminded her counterpart. "I also believed a demon loved me and fell into a trap. The question is whether or not you believe his words. I would rely on past experience: years ago, he claimed that it was a planned attack on both of you, correct? That someone…"

"Naraku." Kagome said, the name bringing a bitter taste to her mouth.

The brown-eyed priestess paused, but the mere mention of the name brought a bitter glint to her eyes. "Yes, Naraku. That he took both of your appearances to make you hate one another."

"Yes, he said that. But you forget another fact. Naraku vanished after the attack on me. He has not been heard of since. You know what this may imply…"

"That is far-fetched." Kikyo interjected. "Youko Kurama would not allow a ruse to eclipse his own fame. I do not believe that he merely invented Naraku as a fable and a trick. He feels… different than Naraku did. His aura and energy are not the same."

It was enough to convince Kagome to drop that theory. "Then what do you believe?"

"I've known Naraku for long enough to not believe that any trick or trap is out of his grasp. I despise him." she declared, but there was no emotion in his voice. "Yet I admit that he is intelligent; I admit that he is powerful. I know that he had beaten me that day when I died. But even he can be beaten, if you remain on your guard. He does everything for a reason. And he doesn't give up easily."

Kagome laughed humourlessly. "So history is to repeat itself, isn't it? InuYasha has just arrived on the scene, along with Kurama, just like last time. If all goes as it went back then, Naraku should show up quite soon. That would be ideal."

"Things are never ideal." Perhaps Kagome was imagining it, but she thought that Kikyo sounded rather sad when she said that. "Be sly for once. Barricade your heart until your task is done. Remember, as individuals, you are strong. Together, you are each other's greatest weakness."

"For the moment." Kagome amended. Already she disliked the task presented to her. "I have an idea." Be sly, Kikyo had suggested. And so the priestess came up with something that Naraku would perhaps congratulate her for.

And Kikyo approved of it, even as she pushed her further down the solitary path. "But before you plunge into deception, you must know where you stand." She said when they were about to part. "Be honest with yourself, so that you may withstand it. Do you love him?"

Kagome could answer within a heartbeat, if she was to be completely truthful, disregarding all the wrongs between them. "Always." she said softly.

And the meadow, Kikyo, and everything was gone, resulting only in blackness and the blissful silence of an empty hotel room.


	36. After dark

I struggled to keep this chapter Kagome-less, as the previous one had been Kurama-less. And guess what? I succeeded! No Kagome in this chapter – sorry if it disappoints some of you. I really wanted to tackle the issue from both sides of the battlefield, as I've told you.

The next chapter should be out next weekend, consisting out of three scenes (from what I have planned at the moment): one focusing on Kurama, one on Kagome, and the third on the confrontation that you've all been waiting for!

"Life is like a boat" is _the_ j-pop song. I omitted the parts sung in Japanese because most people wouldn't understand them, but everyone should really go listen to this song! It's just perfect… and it fits Kurama (and Kagome too) just as it fits the Bleach character it was intended for, Rukia. At least, _I_ think so.

On a side note, I know I promised to update my PotO fic sooner, but it's turning out more difficult than expected. Please have patience with me, guys. I don't want to give you less than you deserve – certainly not something too OOC – and I want to surprise you as well. But I guarantee that half of the chapter from Erik's POV is finished and approved. All I need is the closure for that chapter.

Thank you a zillion times for your patience!

X X X

**After dark**

X X X X X

Nobody knows who I really am  
I never felt this empty before  
And if I ever need someone to come along,  
Who's gonna comfort me, and keep me strong?  
We are all rowing the boat of fate  
The waves keep on coming and we can't escape  
But if we ever get lost on our way  
The waves would guide you through another day

Nobody knows who I really am  
Maybe they just don't give a damn  
But if I ever need someone to come along  
I know you would follow me, and keep me strong

And every time I see your face  
The ocean heaves up to my heart  
You make me wanna strain at the oars, and soon  
I can see the shore  
Oh, I can see the shore  
When will I see the shore?

I want you to know who I really am  
I never thought I'd feel this way towards you  
And if you ever need someone to come along,  
I will follow you, and keep you strong

- Rei Fu, Life is like a boat

X X X X X

The overall victory in the semifinals was somewhat bittersweet. Of course, all of them had performed to the best of their abilities – and perhaps that was the problem.

They could go no further; they had reached the limits of their current strength. And their next and final opponents had power of almost double measure compared to them and the other competitors in the tournament. In the end, without some boost of power, the task of surviving the finals seemed impossible. But Kurama didn't want to wipe the relief and joy off the faces of his friends and comrades by reminding them of that. They were celebrating somewhat; the return of Genkai had brought them a spectacular victory in the end, despite them being still one member short.

To remind them of tomorrow would be cruel. Today was all that mattered.

Besides, he had more urgent troubles to deal with besides trying to figure a way to survive his final match. Botan confirmed that when the girls finally arrived. Once Genkai had departed to seek her privacy and solitude again, the blue-haired ferry girl approached him with less than her usual bubbly smile. In fact, if Botan could ever be considered anxious, that moment was now.

The way she said: "Kurama-kun, we have a problem." along with a deep breath before she spoke, it was more than enough to show that she had both spoken with Kagome already and that the priestess had not taken the turn of events.

In fact, it was almost worthy of pity, the way she seemed to think that all the guilt of the world rested on her shoulders. "Does this by chance have anything to do with Kagome, Botan-san?" it was a question posed simply to encourage her to speak, because she had started fidgeting.

"Bingo." The ferry girl said, stressing the second syllable, as was her habit. She chewed on her lower lip momentarily, before summing up the basics of the situation in less than five words. "She's angry."

Kurama nodded, more to himself than to her.

"That's understandable." There had been three possibilities as to her reaction: anger, grief or hatred. That she had chosen the first was, in a way, what fit her personality best. It showed that she still wasn't indifferent to him, but that her spirit hadn't been broken by the previous horrors. Passion still lived within her; the will to live, perhaps. "I was expecting it, actually. You met her with her, I presume?"

Botan didn't really answer that question. She seemed to want to express exactly how Kagome had reacted, but she didn't have the words to offer a proper description. "You don't get it. She wasn't her usual exploding-with-anger kind of mad. She was really, _really_ scary mad." she added lamely, the words escaping her.

"Did she say anything beyond death threats and initial impressions?" Kurama asked, dismissing the concerns of the ferry girl with a patient but quite intense expression that afforded no room for unnecessary objections.

Besides, Kagome was actually quite a talkative person and he expected that she had left some sort of message or at least said something that could be of use to him.

And indeed it appeared that she had.

"Keiko-chan asked her what we should tell you and she said… she said that she would talk to you, but didn't want you near her right now." Judging by her expression, it was clear that Botan was quoting this from memory. Then, she shook her head with a look of misery on her face. "I-I'm sorry, Kurama-kun. I messed up." she said bleakly.

"What are you talking about?" The ferry girl had nothing to apologize about; none of what had happened had been her fault and clearly she was as much on the receiving end of Kagome's anger as he was.

"I didn't know what to say to make it all better." Botan confessed. "She didn't even listen to me most of the time, I think. The others tried too."

"I suppose it was inevitable." Kurama sighed. Usually, Kagome was able to bond quite well with people that were relative strangers to her, even in times of duress. Apparently, that didn't always apply. She must have been more shaken than she let on. "Anything else?"

"No. Except for the fact that Shippo likely started hero-worshipping you by now." Botan added, her face lightening up for a moment. "But I don't think Kagome will be as affected by that as she usually would have been."

Normally, the will of Shippo held more sway over Kagome than the Jewel or Reikai could ever hope to. Clearly, she had found herself something to protect; something to keep her will focused and her sanity safe from any cracks in it throughout the years.

For the second time, he was crushing her harmony, her stereotype in life. The routine of days, years, centuries. But, though realizing that it was selfishness, Kurama had no intention of backing down from the goal Youko had set years ago.

The jewel was now well beyond his grasp and he accepted that. But that hardly meant that he intended to give up on the goal he had chosen. In an ideal situation, he would be able to manoeuvre Kagome back into her more gentle side and get Koenma to grant her leave, so that she could – naïve as it may be – finally begin the life she was supposed to have been living with him for fifteen years already. With _them_, now, in a sense.

It wasn't as if the initial concept hadn't been crossing two worlds with their union, except that Ningenkai was somewhat of an exception. There, humans were blissfully ignorant of the goings-on in the other two realms. There, they believed that demons and even gods were only products of the imagination of the fanatic, the deluded and the insane.

Perhaps it was a combination of all those three aspects, to expect that this would work out as smoothly as it might sound in his mind. The human world would be a drastic change for Kagome, a place where she perhaps no longer fit or belonged. He himself could call it home only because he had experienced a human life from birth there – was still experiencing it – and that he had been born to the woman who could be considered the embodiment of goodness.

He was still not entirely used to everything that the life of a human teenager involved.

There was one more thing to try, though Kurama waited for a while before doing so. Kagome had clearly gone off somewhere to vent her anger somewhat and wouldn't be back immediately. But when everyone had gone their separate ways and the fuss over the tournament semifinals had passed for the day, he approached the hotel room where Koenma was staying, along with his ogre assistant.

Just as he was about to knock, a scream from behind the door confirmed that someone was home. Knocking would have hardly been heard over all that racket, the kitsune wisely realized, and so he opened the door quietly and closed it behind him equally soundlessly.

And even that had almost gone unnoticed by the ruler of Reikai, who, now back in his usual childlike form, was practically growling orders at George the ogre, who was running around the suite with a frantic air around him.

Kurama noticed with vague curiosity and surprise that the little princeling had a red mark on his cheek and nose that he was struggling to rub, though it was obviously too painful to be examined in such a manner.

It looked like the mark of a sharp slap… or, rather, a very solid and well-aimed punch. And, judging by the size of the mark, it had been the fist of a female.

Adding two and two together wasn't drastically difficult.

"Hurry up with that ice, ogre!" Koenma yelled, spotting the red-haired kitsune at the door moments later. "Kurama! Where in the blazing hells have you been?!" the child-god demanded with an air of impatience.

Deciding that it might be best to start from the beginning – meaning the beginning that he wanted to take things from – he posed the natural question. "What happened here?"

Snatching the bag of ice from George, Koenma pressed it to his face with a slight expression of pain and relief both. "For some unfathomable reason, Kagome seemed to be under the impression that _I_ was the one responsible for this mess!" Koenma grumbled, his voice surprisingly high-pitched as he gained steam and quickly strayed from his topic of interest. "Why didn't Botan warn me that this was going to happen?! That girl is getting spankings!" he was almost jumping up and down with anger and childish stubbornness to blame someone else. "It's all her fault anyway!"

"Where did Kagome go?" Kurama interjected, likely sparing Botan several hours of pain that way.

Of course, Koenma didn't look too pleased that he had been cut off from his spectacular ramble, but decided to behave authoritatively this time, as he always tried to do these days. "From the looks of it, she was just storming off to a random destination, but she has to return to her room eventually, I guess."

"Thank you." Kurama said with a last glance at the now purple bruise before strolling out of the door once more. "Try to press it hard, so that it doesn't swell too much."

"Like this?" George asked helpfully, pressing the freshly collected bag of ice to his master's face with force that almost managed to knock Koenma off his feet.

"OW OW OW OW OW! OGRE YOU USELESS BIG BLUE NINNY!"

Team Urameshi should by now be all too grateful that their rooms weren't on the same floor as Koenma's.

The second possibility he tried was the ultimate one, perhaps. Kagome's room. He took the life to the designated floor, not even thinking about how he was going to handle the situation. He hoped both that she would be there and that she wouldn't, but most of all, he wanted to see her again, with her knowing at last to whom she was speaking.

But he was not to meet Kagome in the hallway. In fact, his senses couldn't detect her, but he nevertheless kept the slight hope that he was simply too limited or she too skilled by now at concealing herself. But there was no concealing the power of the sacred jewel, just as there was almost no chance of him miscalculating something so easily measured as his own power. The priestess just wasn't there.

The person who was locking the door to her room was Kagewaki Hitomi, who had also looked for Kagome there, only to find her room unlocked and empty. He was the only person except Shippo who possessed an extra key in case of an emergency, and so he had decided to dissuade anyone from being tempted to see the inside of the suite, which actually didn't contain any personal belongings of true value.

Kagewaki spotted the kitsune even as he withdrew the key from its lock, his neutral expression morphing into a somewhat cold frown. He certainly did not appreciate the unexpected turn of events, though even the previous course of the tournament hadn't been exactly to his liking.

"I would suggest that you leave, Kurama-san." the daimyo said in an emotionless but slightly stern voice, gazing at the fox demon with surprising coldness.

Kurama returned the unwavering, unblinking gaze evenly. He had expected that he would someday have to speak with the imposing companion of the priestess, who seemed to be the shadow enshrouding Kagome and drawing her further still from everything else. Ironically, though they had never actually met before, these two knew almost everything of true significance about each other, through their connection to Kagome. Always the central point of everything, Kagome was, always the defining factor of the universe.

"I have business with Kagome." Kurama replied in the voice of Youko. He had always supposed that they wouldn't like each other, Kagome's benefactor and him. As most of the time, his predictions had proven to be entirely true.

If it was possible to sneer yet remain completely impassive in expression, never wavering in the silent display of contempt, then Kagewaki did just that.

"You have had quite enough business with her already." He spoke almost quietly, but with great confidence. "And I might not be far off when I say that Kagome-sama has no desire to speak with you."

A flash of gold, the display of summer, clashed with emerald green for less than a second. Within Kurama, Youko was already analyzing. What claim did this man have on Kagome? Certainly nothing that could override his own, the most important one, if yet to be sealed completely. What bond forced him to help her and act on her behalf? Did Kagome trust him? There was power within the demon, carefully concealed, and a smell that Kurama couldn't fully identify.

"I have been told otherwise." he said, each syllable covered with a layer of gentle frost. After a millennium of existence, intimidating him wasn't for the inexperienced or the faint-hearted.

To his slight surprise, Kagewaki nodded, almost courteously. "I see. Unfortunately for you, Kagome-sama has departed. I had thought you would be able to sense that."

Mockery. Subtle, just enough to make one wonder if it truly was there. Impertinence. Had he not decided to conserve his strength, had he not exhausted himself previously, had he… there were so many conditions to fulfil, but Kurama was quite certain that if his self-control slipped for even a second, someone would walk away from this meeting with a severed head.

"She has grown in power and skill. I have diminished in my exile." Kurama said without pride or shame. These were facts. "But I will wait for her, if I must. She will return eventually."

"Indeed she will. But time will not." Kagewaki paused, as if evaluating just how much he should say. "She has refrained from even speaking your name for fifteen years. Embarrassed, I imagine, by her own lapse of judgment. You were renowned for your intelligence. I urge you to use it."

"I will. To the best of my ability."

As Kagewaki walked past him with indifference, Kurama gave no indication of the slight sting the demonic daimyo's words had inflicted on him. He was very much able to sense falsehoods.

_She has refrained from even speaking your name for fifteen years. _That hadn't been a lie. Of course, that didn't make the rest the truth, but somehow, it was a remark that had partly penetrated his indestructible mental defences.

The room was empty. But he was willing to wait. Kagome had to return for the finale and to pick up her entourage. She couldn't vanish into thin air.

Though he wasn't forced to wait for too long, again, it wasn't Kagome who entered the corridor. Instead, it was a tall young man, the transformation of Shippo, and the little kit changed into his normal demonic form of a small child the moment he saw the elderly kitsune.

"Kurama! There you are – I've been looking everywhere for you!" Green eyes wide with either concern or excitement – perhaps both – Shippo sprang onto the nearest cabinet, careful not to knock over the vase placed on it, the only way he could be more or less on eye level with Kurama without having to transform into anything else.

"Greetings, Shippo." Kurama said, much more amiably than he had spoken to Kagewaki, but remained sitting in the chair he had found. It would be easier to maintain eye contact that way. "Why in such a hurry?"

"To find you!" the kit proclaimed, as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. Actually, it likely was, because Shippo had to have good youki detecting abilities himself. "You're looking for Kagome, right?" No answer, but for Shippo, that was more than enough. "I haven't seen her since she passed us by during the semifinals. She was… well…" The kitsune grimaced slightly. He, too, didn't have the words.

Fortunately, Kurama was quick to comprehend that nonverbal communication. "So I've been told. It was never my intention to shake or hurt her. I'd like you to know that." he said, knowing that honesty was his best option now. Besides, though Botan had mentioned that Kagome might not be swayed by Shippo this time, it never hurt to have a valuable ally on his side, either. The kit was clever and persuasive and talented, which was more than he could say for most demons.

He was also likely the only member of Kagome's group besides the priestess herself that he might be able to convince of his intentions.

"This is a bit weird." Shippo said flatly after a minute or so of silence.

One flame-coloured brow quirked at that. Weird wasn't one of the words he would have used to describe the situation. Awkward was more like it, but he could admit that it was a strange position to be in.

"Weird how?"

"Well, I thought I'd be dead scared of you. You see, Pa…" Shippo swallowed and looked away from Kurama for a moment. The older fox demon understood the psychology of such a reaction. In fact, he would have been more than willing to bet all his former fortunes on the fact that the cub's father was long dead. Hopefully not by Kagome's hand, but he imagined that there were thousands of menaces in Makai that might threaten a solitary demon, especially one with a cub. It didn't seem as though Shippo had known his mother, else he would have mentioned her first. "My Pa, he always said to run and hide if I ever saw a silver kitsune."

His usage of the past tense only confirmed Kurama's theory. But what surprised him most was that he felt something akin to pity force its way to the surface of the melting pot of his emotions. He himself had never had an actual father figure to look up, not for long as a human child and certainly never as a demonic cub. That seemed – and had been – over a thousand years ago, so such thoughts were slightly blurry, but he had always been keenly aware that he couldn't depend on anyone else for survival.

"It seems that he was wise in knowing when to fight and when to retreat." He said, hoping that his voice sounded comforting enough without actually trying to forcibly soothe the ache of something that seemed as abstract to Shippo now as the concept of winning the tournament now appeared to him. "Knowing your weaknesses is a strength."

"Yeah!" Shippo raised his gaze; his large eyes had brightened up considerably. It seemed to prove some kind of point to him and Kurama wondered if Botan hadn't hit the mark for once in her describing Shippo as a hero-worshipper of his past self now. "But you don't seem to be as scary as he said you were. But Kuwabara's rambling descriptions shouldn't be completely dismissed, I guess. The girls and I met him at the old stadium. That's where he got teleported to."

Kurama's lips twitched in a slight smile. He didn't like to talk ill of his companions, but no kitsune could ever resist a subtle teasing. "Twice, it seems."

"Could you transform again?" Shippo asked eagerly after another short moment of silence. He seemed to be regretting not having been able to see the transformation for himself, as the battle had ended before he and the girls had arrived.

"I wish I could."

Kurama almost sighed. Hadn't he been contemplating that for the better part of the past few hours? If he was able to reach out for his old strength once more, no member of Team Toguro would stand much of a chance against him, though he didn't yet know which one he might be up against. It wouldn't be the team captain; that was highly unlikely, as Toguro had gone to lengths to bring Yusuke to the tournament – he was simply one of the team members that had been required to join. But even in his currently awakened state, Youko Kurama was more than a match for any of them. But he had no way of consciously disrupting the merge save for killing himself, of course, which wasn't desirable in this situation. He had to get a hold of the secrets of that box!

But of their former enemies, only one team member remained alive and after the way he had been treated during the tournament, even Kurama had doubts that he would be willing to cooperate. And he didn't want to overdue the persuasion in this case, lest he risk poisoning or some serious misinformation. Intimidation could only get you so far; especially with people who were mentally instable enough to willingly dress up in clown outfits and stand proudly in front of the crowds.

"It could prove to be the cutting edge in the final battle. But no, I cannot."

Shippo seemed disappointed, but also understood. "Oh, Kagome might be able to help." he noted, trying to be helpful. Now that they had established some sort of friendly relationship, Shippo didn't feel as anxious as he had been at the beginning. Truth to be told, he had always been wary of Kurama, even though he had been the one team member to treat him most cordially, but if Kagome had trusted him at his worst, there wasn't really any other argument needed to persuade him to do the same. "She has access to practically all Reikai records…"

"I don't think there is enough time for that extensive a search… or that Kagome would feel very inclined towards aiding me so at the moment." Shippo took note of the carefully veiled bitterness in his sempai's voice. Well, that settled it – who needed Botan and her matchmaking "skills" or Shizuru with her interrogations? – obviously, Kurama liked Kagome. Shippo didn't try to think beyond that, as his ideas of love weren't entirely formed. Besides, his experiences with couples amounted to seeing Miroku and Sango interact, which wasn't saying too much. Still, it was better than nothing.

Of course, that didn't mean that he was going to start setting the two up. He wasn't some _girl_, for kami's sake.

"Kagome is far too nice to be angry with you for very long. Besides I think she was more shocked than anything else." Shippo said rationally, shrugging lightly. The best he could do was return the comforting words, no more. "She liked you before, I know it."

"Before." Kurama repeated the word almost like a question.

"Yeah, but meaning both times. Now and years ago." For the first time, a frown crossed Shippo's brow, making his face seem older, in stark contrast to his young visage. "But she never really talked about you, which I kind of don't get."

And perhaps Shippo was imagining it, but it seemed Kurama winced, as if struck – and then again, he hadn't moved at all. It was just a clever illusion, subconscious, perhaps. He had competition, the little kit realized. That and someone rational to talk to, except Kagome, of course, it seemed.

But if there was anything he was outmatched it, it was vagueness. Kurama was obviously an expert in changing the subject when a conversation ventured too deep into dangerous waters.

"Do you have any idea where Kagome might have gone off to?" he asked diplomatically. Shippo decided to turn a blind eye just this time.

"Not really. Probably just to patrol around for a bit. I guess she was just… well, a bit overwhelmed. She doesn't get many heart-attack experiences, but I think she really wasn't expecting this. Probably one of the few things she hasn't yet seen." Shippo mused, then scowled somewhat, with the hint of a childish pout. "I wanted to go with her, but she told me to stay with the girls. But I thought she'd be back now, it's been hours already. I'm a bit worried, I guess."

To be worried about Kagome's state of health was… charming, in a way, but Kurama wouldn't dwell on that too much. It was her mind that concerned him more; not that he believed that she would fall into madness or something of the sort. Madness couldn't break Kagome, because she was simply too stubborn for any kind of surrender. She couldn't be bent or broken so easily, unless she herself had the desire. And that rarely happened. What he was concerned about was what kind of approach to the situation she would settle for once her initial anger would evaporate and she would realize that nothing had changed, unless she willed it to be so.

"I'm certain that those that try to ambush her now are the ones that should be worried." Kurama said instead, somewhat dryly.

Shippo shook his ginger head. "Actually, I don't think many demons will try that anymore."

It was the truth. The demons that had come to see the tournament had learned their lesson for the most part. Most of them had already seen a demon or two being incinerated by holy energy and certainly had no wish to experience that on their own skins. Naturally, a demon or two still tried their luck, but such attacks were becoming rarer and rarer. Though no one speculated out loud that the priestess had more power than the strength of the finalists combined out of fear of being overheard and having their lives ended prematurely, slowly and painfully, it was far more than an urban legend or mere rumour.

"So… what are you going to do?" Shippo asked again, breaking Kurama's train of thought for a moment.

The fox demon blinked, looking back at Shippo. He had seemed withdrawn from reality a second ago. "Pardon?"

"You know, about you and Kagome! And about the tournament!" Shippo urged, crossing his little arms. "I'm no expert on power levels, but I'm sure that if I was, right now, the numbers wouldn't be looking too rosy."

"You have a talent for understatement, it seems." Kurama said, smiling wryly. This time, he did sigh, if only slightly. "I will need some time to think on both counts."

"Oh, okay! Do you want to go get some candy?" Kurama blinked. Candy? But it seemed that it was what Shippo associated with thinking, as he said a moment later. "We've got loads in our suite and Kagome hardly ever eats any. It always helps me think!"

Well, it wasn't as if he received quality chocolate every day. Save for the occasional poor quality heart-shaped candy from giggling schoolgirls who were often blushing so much that he was estimating it would take about five more minutes of the current blood pressure to cause the veins of their heads to explode in a flash of crimson.

And… it had been a very long time since he had talked to someone simply for the sake of talking, as normal people his age might with friends that expected nothing from them aside from them being themselves.

He gave a smile that would have made any of those schoolgirls melt more quickly than their cheap chocolate pralines would in the heat of direct sunlight in summer. "That would be nice."


	37. The sound of silence

There was originally meant to be one more scene in this chapter, but it seemed redundant after all the pep-talk that had been given by the other characters, so I decided to move the story forward a bit. The _infamous Kirara scene _didn't get cut, so celebrate, everyone. You know you want to.

I hope this didn't turn out _too_… well, _fluffy. _I didn't want that and I didn't want cliché. But it had to be emotional…anyway, this might be the last chapter with lyrics in a while. Enjoy.

I had this written long ago, but accidentally deleted it once and then ended up glad because of that, as it wasn't a very good scene initially. I decided against involving Karasu as much as he had been previously, though don't doubt that he'll be interfering a bit. I have the whole final battle scene planned out wonderfully, along with Youko taking centre stage again. You know he deserves it, heh.

Remember: your reviews make my day and encourage me to write faster! So keep them coming, onegai!

X X X

**The sound of silence**

X X X X X

Love of my life  
you've hurt me  
You've broken my heart  
And now you leave me

Love of my life can't you see  
Bring it back bring it back  
Don't take it away from me  
Because you don't know what it means to me

Love of my life  
don't leave me  
You've stolen my love  
now you desert me

Love of my life can't you see  
Bring it back bring it back  
Don't take it away from me  
Because you don't know what it means to me

- Queen, Love of My Life

X X X X X

Kagome, who had once again set out to search for potential clues regarding InuYasha's whereabouts, returned to her suite several hours later. She had the time to take a relaxing shower and change; her black clothes were by now drenched with sweat, both because of her nightmares and her own will to push her physical body to the limit. Again, her search had brought little to no result, but little was better than nothing. The traces were there – InuYasha was close by. He had to be.

Perhaps the finals would be the energetic surge needed to finally draw him out.

Dressed in the spare set of robes she had brought with her, she managed to tie her hair back into her usual ponytail with the customary white ribbon just as there was a rather loud and confident knock on her door. The priestess frowned slightly. She was hardly expecting guests. For less than a split-second, a feeling of dread passed through her. But the person at the door wasn't – and couldn't be – Kurama. There was not a trace of youki there, which was a relief. Besides, she hardly thought that it could be him, with that manner of knocking, and most demons usually didn't have the decency to knock.

Deciding that there was no need to reach for her weapons, which were nearly placed at her nightstand, the priestess opened the door to find a somewhat flustered-looking Kuwabara Kazuma standing there. of course, that expression – and his hand, ready to knock again – dropped as soon as she opened the door, replaced by less than his usual goofy smile.

"Um, hey, Kagome!" there was a hint of anxiety in his voice, but it was still Kuwabara – loud, cheerful and perhaps the slightest bit obnoxious. Definitely not who she had been expecting at the moment.

"Kuwabara-kun! I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you… well certainly not now!" the priestess said honestly. And she had no idea what he might want to say to her. She knew that she had wronged him and the others in acting in a harsh manner when last in their presence, but, strangely, regret didn't find its way into her thoughts. Botan had deserved that, she thought with a grim satisfaction that almost frightened her.

"Yeah, well, I can't seem to find the guys and I guess no one's really worked up the courage to talk to you… can I come in?"

The priestess blinked before jumping out of the way – she had blocked the entrance without realizing it and it took another drop of anxiety she detected in the taller boy's voice to make her realize that. "Oh, sure! Sit down wherever you like. Can I get you something?" she added when Kuwabara found a chair at her table he seemed to be comfortable in. she wasn't quite certain how to act, not being used to entertaining guests of any kind.

Fortunately, Kuwabara shook his head curtly. "Nah, I'm not hungry. Wow, cool, you got a TV in your room." he said, observing her suite with a wistful grin, his attention distracted for a moment. "Ours aren't this big, either."

Kagome smiled in what she hoped was a cordial manner. Truth to be told, she had no habit of watching television. There was never the time or the will. "It's just the committee sucking up a bit to be polite, nothing too drastic."

"You've been at this tournament thing before?" Kuwabara asked with sudden interest. He remembered just how old Kagome had said she was, though the idea would certainly take time getting used to. She didn't look much older than Keiko, for instance, and certainly not as old as his sister, though he'd have to take care not to say that while Shizuru was around.

"Mm-hm." the priestess said with a nod, sitting down as well and smoothing out the edge of her robes. "Once or twice, but never for the whole thing. Mostly just the finals. I hope you're excited about those."

Once or twice meant at least a century – Kuwabara's math was good enough for that. But as she mentioned the battles, his face turned slightly grim. His initial enthusiasm about kicking demon but had long-since been eradicated. Now was when reality was setting in; the reality that they might not leave this scrap alive.

"I haven't been much excited about the fights in a long time. It's almost weird."

"I think I know how you feel." Kagome said quietly, but she was looking out of the window in a discreet fashion when he glanced up at her.

"Yeah, I guess so." But now was not the time to think about blood and gore and all that stuff. Besides, he liked Kagome's way of slaying demons. It wasn't the honourable one-on-one man-fight kind of thing, but then again, with the number of demons she was fighting, that would probably have taken centuries, to take care of them like that. "I never told you how cool that magic arrow thing you did before the first fight was! If Urameshi saw that his Spirit Gun could get beaten by a girl, I could've made him pretty miserable for a week at least!" Kuwabara said with a wistful grin. Yeah, he could _still_ rub that into Urameshi's face later on!

It seemed that Kagome hadn't really looked at it that way – or thought of her purification powers as _magic arrows. _"I suppose…"

"Anyway, I came to talk to you… about Kurama, really." Kuwabara said, after returning to earth from the land of daydreams.

Judging by the way the face of the priestess hardened at the mention of his friend, it was high time that someone did. "Is that really necessary? I already promised to speak with him. I will be forced to eventually."

"Yeah, but you were being way too gloomy about it."

Kuwabara took a breath. He wasn't good at this kind of thing and he certainly wasn't about to start convincing the priestess about the power of love – which was strange, as he himself believed in it completely, bless Yukina for that. "Look, I'm not saying that I know too much 'bout the stuff you said about him being a dangerous criminal way back, but I know Kurama and he's definitely not like that anymore. I mean, sure, he gets kinda scary in fights now and then, but I don't think I know a more caring guy than him. So I guess what I'm trying to say it… you know what? I think you need to hear the whole story."

Of course, he hadn't _been_ there when that had happened – that had been one of the few cases Urameshi had managed to pull off without him. But he had heard enough from the Spirit Detective himself and Botan, too, about how Kurama had intended to die for the sake of saving his mother's life. And ended up breaking into the vaults of Spirit World just because of that. now, if that didn't qualify as proof of him being a good guy, then nothing did.

He didn't really have much of a way with words and figured that Kurama could have easily spun a more thrilling tale than he did, especially since he was the one who knew the details of the whole thing. But of course, the fox demon wouldn't have boasted about something like this. So it was time someone did it for him. High time.

The priestess listened to the entire story silently, intently, though there was distinct surprise in her eyes. She hadn't heard this story before. At least not completely, it seemed. Good. That meant some good would come of this.

Once he was done, Kagome finally blinked a few times, as if awakening from a state of hypnosis. "I… thank you for telling me this, Kuwabara-kun." she said, more quietly than usual, but Kuwabara didn't really register that. "It means a lot to me."

So it had worked. Wonderful!

"Sure, no problem. You ok?" Kuwabara's grin froze for a split-second when he saw the moment of misery Kagome was having. "You seem pretty shaken by the story."

_Misery. Self-loathing. _

"It's just…" _He is as he would have been, had be been born this way in the first place. _He had sacrificed his own plans, his own intentions, for the sake of a selfless deed. His _life_, he was willing to lay it down for a human. "I will need to think on this for a while. And-and if it eases your mind… I don't think I'm as angry as I thought I was. I am angry, but…"

"Oh. Okay. Just thought you should know that before going all scary on him like you did on Botan-chan."

"I know." Kagome nodded, trying to get her focus back to the present. Her plan now had several distinct flaws in it. The most major one being that she didn't feel she could cold-shoulder Kurama now, after hearing this. "Thank you."

But Kuwabara wasn't exactly looking at her any longer. His attention was focused entirely on something on the floor to her right. In fact, she hadn't seen him this excited even when that little ice maiden, Yukina, had shown up at the tournament. It was almost unnerving.

"Is something wrong? You look…" Finally, Kagome bothered to glance at what had caught his attention, because the something had landed on her lap with a soft bounce and purr. "Oh, Kirara, you're back. Sango-chan is well, then, and Miroku-sama too?" Kagome smiled. She had made a habit of sending the nekomata to her friends to find out how their little honeymoon was going. And the nekomata dutifully had another note, written in Sango's tidy script, for her. "Thank you, I'll have a look at it. Kuwabara-kun, I… Kuwabara-kun? Are you feeling well?"

Feverish, that was the word to describe him. And when Kagome gently placed Kirara on the table to get a better look at him, the line of control snapped and Kuwabara almost squealed – _squealed_ – as he grabbed the surprised cat demon and trapped her in a hug that would have been crushing for any human being.

The second squeal was something that Kagome barely deciphered as: "Kitteh!" though it was much louder than that. Fortunately, though he spoke very quickly, Kagome was able to make out the rest of it.

"And she's got two tails, that's the cutest thing I've ever seen! Not that I'm saying she's a thing, but it's awesome! Her name's Kirara, then? You like cats, Kagome-chan? That's great!"

Quick questions directed at her, but it was clear that Kuwabara was too preoccupied with Kirara to actually expect answers. Fortunately, it seemed that Kirara didn't mind when treated gently. She hadn't gotten too much attention in the recent months, probably, so it was a change for her. But Kagome wasn't certain how the human boy would react to knowing that it was actually a demon he was holding.

"Um, Kirara isn't exactly a cat…" she trailed off. Kuwabara obviously didn't know or care. In fact, it seemed as if he had completely forgotten why he had even bothered to show up. Well, that was… fine? "Well… you can stay as long as you like, Kuwabara-kun. If Kirara doesn't object, you can go take a walk together, maybe…"

Kuwabara grinned brilliantly at her, petting Kirara again on the head, earning himself a meow of approval. "That'd be great! Thanks a bunch, Kagome-chan!"

X X X X X

_It's just a game…_

…_one of you dies today…_

Processing such information was not difficult, but surprisingly draining. The words, in the same superior voice that spoke them, would likely keep on repeating themselves in Kurama's head for hours. encountering two members of the enemy team in an otherwise deserted corridor had been anything but pleasant, especially considering the vulnerable position he was in. where were the days when he wouldn't even bother to sneer at such demons and destroy them with a single swipe of his whip?

Long gone, dead and buried. But the dead didn't always stay buried.

If it were not for the soft and familiar footsteps echoing in the silence behind him, Kurama would have likely stood in the same corridor for a while, processing the information again and again, calculating which one of them was likely the target of today and who was going to survive till tomorrow. Obviously, he was not their mark. Not today. But that didn't change the fact that he _hated_ Karasu with a fiery intensity that was uncommon for him in an instant. He had been both careless and frightened – _him._

As impossible as it was not to notice the steps behind him halting in a surprised stop.

How the priestess hadn't noticed that he was in her path, Kurama couldn't guess, but she had come too close to pretend that she hadn't seen him or to select a different route. There was no one else in the corridor and the only other way out was to turn back and leave the way she had come.

The sight of a familiar face was comforting, but Kurama, his mind already in the strategic mode, proceeded to analyze her expression immediately. She didn't seem shocked, merely surprised to see him there. She must have truly been lost in her own thoughts if she hadn't detected his presence long before he had noticed hers. Though she could hardly be blamed for that, he supposed.

She was armed, naturally, with both her weapons this time, but her movements weren't hostile. There was a smell of soap and pristine fabric around her, which unwillingly brought him an image that he really hadn't accounted for when thinking of her and water, but that was secondary.

Kagome bit her lip in a gesture of uncertainty of what to do, a dangerously enticing image, before apparently resigning on fleeing this time.

"Not here." she said, brushing past him hurriedly. Of all the possible interpretations, Kurama decided to take it as an invitation to follow her.

Of course they couldn't speak in the stadium. The last thing either of them needed was C-class demons _gossiping about their history._ That was a mental image Kurama really didn't need at the moment. It was nothing short of a miracle – and a sign of Youko's expertise in stealth – that that scandal hadn't leaked from Reikai years ago.

The priestess neither looked back nor stopped until they were far from the stadium, in one of the fields of the island. Some curious eyes had followed them for a while, but when nothing exiting had happened, they chose to leave it be. Fortunately for them, of course. Neither of the two would have hesitated to slay any eavesdroppers in that situation, as quickly as possible.

But even as they stopped, knowing that no one was near, knowing that they may speak freely, the only sound to be heard was the blowing of the wind, the grass bending under its force, and perhaps the distant sounds of birds flapping their wings when the breeze forced them to vacate their favourite tree.

They weren't looking at each other, not really; the priestess was deliberately looking at what was a thoroughly uninteresting patch of grass while Kurama studied her, weighing the possibilities of what she might say. She had been the initiator of this; it was only polite to wait for her to speak.

Finally, Kagome could take the silence no longer.

"You realize that unless divine intervention occurs, your chances are very slight." she blurted out, without looking at her companion. She said it quickly, her eyes downcast, knowing that if she stopped to comprehend her own words, she would likely lose all dignity and burst into tears. "But then again, you do seem to have a knack for getting divine intervention on your side." It wasn't a remark meant to sting, but it came out that way.

But Kurama knew that he had to proceed with the utmost care and ignored the slight bitterness in the voice of the priestess with all the tact in the world. Judging by her emotional state, there would be no second chances. It would have been better if she had simply started yelling.

"Kagome, Botan-san said you promised to speak with me. I ask that you merely listen to me." His voice was more than velvety, patient, soothing as much as he could make it sound without breaking the illusion. "It is true that I have concealed things from you, but only so that you would not be hurt by such a revelation."

"Hurt." Kagome repeated, with strange sharpness. "Hurt is what you call it? You mean you actually _considered_ my feelings this time? That's unexpected." The way she said it, with uncanny cynical bitterness, surprised him. That stung, broke through his perfect act.

He drew a soundless deep breath to regain his composure. Speech craft was his mastery, and yet he imagined this was what a little boy confessing that he had broken his dear grandma's favourite vase might feel like.

"As discomforting as the complications we have been presented with are, the fact remains…"

"…that you've deceived me." Kagome didn't allow him to finish. _Complications_, he said. She would yet show him complications, unlike any he had ever seen before. "That, I could handle. But that you pretended to this extent… no. No! Do you realize how much I wanted to trust you? Do you?" the priestess demanded. Her resolution to be impersonal in this dialogue had dissolved completely. She felt all the _hurt_, as he had eloquently named it, pour back into her heart. Yes, she was_ hurt. _"I have only had a handful of trustworthy people in my life and all of them because they were pushed into the circumstances!"

"I_ want_ you to trust me, Kagome." That such softly-spoken words could contain such strength was almost surprising, but from him, it was an expectation he could only live up to.

But when had she learned to scoff at sincerity, at apologies? When had cynism found its way into her thoughts?

"You have a peculiar way of showing it." Kagome said mercilessly. And she realized that there was a reason for it – that she, though grieving for him greatly, had also blamed Youko for a great deal of things. She had thought herself to be over such petty thoughts, but now that she had a chance to tell him all into his face – in a sense – she could hardly deny her will to do so.

That, for one, was a reply Kurama had been expecting.

"Suppose I had told you." he suggested. Having gone through this particular theory in his mind over a dozen times himself, he knew that it was a faulty choice. Telling her right away would have done neither of them good. "Would you have believed a perfect stranger with such an unlikely story?"

"I would have!" the priestess swallowed, catching herself at a lie. The honest answer was no. No, not at first. But surely… surely… "Eventually! There were signs that I tried to overlook… I would have noticed, but…" she was staying from her point. Shaking her head violently, she returned to it. "Eventually!"

"Which was why I intended to tell you everything before the semifinals." Kurama explained, watching her emotional fireworks with a patient, unwavering gaze. One wall down. How many to go, he dared not guess. "I had no idea that such a transformation could occur thanks to the Idun Box. But it now seems crucial to the tournament victory."

At last, the corners of Kagome's mouth lifted for a moment, but it was a gesture of sad pity, not joy.

"You speak of victory? Kurama…" She had said that they would win, once, but back then, she had expected their growth to be more rapid in comparison to the other demons.

"I dare not speak of loss. If I do, I might just start believing in the foolishness of hope and idealism."

And it was true. Baring his thoughts to her as if she were his own mind was not something he had intended to do, but having someone to pour his woes to wasn't all bad. Besides, she was perhaps the only one around who knew just how impossible the situation they were facing was. His melancholic smile was a mirror of hers, though the pity was absent from it.

"You've shown me that such things are not as foolish as I have believed them to be. I will now endeavour to cling to that supposition."

Entirely against her will, the priestess was touched by the sheer emotion of the words that could otherwise be considered mundane. She was remembering why she had ceased to hate him almost as soon as she had started to do so. It was impossible to hate this creature, this man, death in the incarnation of innocence, brilliant and beautiful when honesty shone in his eyes with a frightening intensity.

"What happened to strategy and tactics? That was your game, wasn't it?" She had to regain her ground, reform her plan. How was she to shun him when the voice of her conscience was screaming at her that he now spoke honestly?

"Neither will be of much help to me now. Unless, of course, you would share your wisdom with me, if you know of a method to increase demonic power." Seeing the fingers of her right hand twitch, an obvious betrayal of her instinct to reach for the jewel, Kurama almost smiled. But the abyss he was standing before was deepening. If she believed that he was going to employ such desperate measures, perhaps this would be even beyond his skill. "I didn't mean that kind of method."

And her eyes were a little cooler, with a little more fear and dread. _Don't do it. Please don't try to do it. _"I know of no other of sufficient speed and I cannot give you this."

"I know." he said simply, averting his eyes for a moment to give her the chance to regain focus.

But Kagome would have none of it. "Stop this."

"Stop what?" He was just as confused by the barely noticeable tremble in her voice as he was by her words.

"This… this!" The priestess waved her hand around, gesticulating when words were insufficient. "You're yourself, but you're not! I-I don't know how to even say it!

Kurama frowned mildly. "I'm acting as I have done before, I believe. It didn't seem to bother you before learning…" She needed no reminder of that, not when they had progressed past that point. "I am as you knew me."

_But that's the whole point, _Kagome wanted to say. "I don't know you! Which one of you? I-" She shut her eyes for a moment. "This is too confusing. I knew this wouldn't work…" she muttered to herself.

It was those last words that were most threatening to the situation… and, if he was one to study his own feelings in-depth, his own peace of mind as well. He would have asked the priestess to clarify her words under different circumstances, but in a storm at sea, the origin of the tempest was unimportant; where to steer the ship was the question, the dilemma.

"Kagome, the only difference between us is that I feel an obligation to pretend to be nothing but an ordinary teenager back in Ningenkai for the sake of my mother's happiness." Kurama explained patiently, hoping that his expression betrayed nothing of his swift internal calculations. He had to count with the possibility that he wasn't going to convince her of the truth. "Were the decision up to my other half, such a sentiment would be quickly overridden by the wish to return back to the life of two decades ago. One which was supposed to include you, I should emphasize."

"I haven't the power to turn back time." Kagome had said out loud what she had listened to repeatedly over the years. "Things have changed. We have… changed."

"Yes, but you are still much the same." _Not entirely the same. _

"I'm still a fool. You've succeeded in proving that." A testament of change.

"You are trusting, but not foolish." It was what he had always thought but never said. There hadn't been the need. Now, there was. Saying all that should have been said in a previous life was crucial. "I have brought you suffering without ever wishing that. I would have you happy again, Kagome." Saying _everything_ that should have been said, no matter how obvious it could have been to even the uneducated eye. "You were always most beautiful when you smiled."

Something within the priestess absorbed all those words with a ravenous hunger and insatiable yearning, but it couldn't quench the flow of something raw in the form of emotion from her soul.

"So I am to be happy that you… that you all… are likely going to die tomorrow?" she demanded. "I can't do a thing about it – again! And this time, I get _front-row seats_! Why did you return?" Kurama saw that she was on the verge of tears before she felt the dampness graze her eyes. "Why do you _make me see you die_?"

She was close now, her hands gripping and twisting handfuls of the fabric of his shirt, hair falling into her face, concealing her eyes.

"At the very least, we would be of the same Realm, briefly." The words were wrong, especially when their impact was seen when the priestess raised her face.

"I don't want you to die!" Her voice was choked for a moment and she was blinking a lot more than was natural. "Not again… and then, your mother… you would be missed. I-I heard from Kuwabara-kun what you did for her. And what Urameshi-san did in your place. You haven't changed that much if you're selfish enough to let that go to waste."

She was failing miserably at her plan. She wasn't sly, or cunning. Instead of pushing him away for both their sakes while yelling at him, she was literally _pouring her heart out. _In clichéd phrases. Ye gods, if she were alive, Kikyo would kill her for this.

"I would rather not die." The fox demon certainly had no death wish. A near-death experience once was quite enough for one existence and death in a human body, in an arena… there was little chance of pulling off a similar escape, especially when he was already in Ningenkai to begin with. He wouldn't survive a day in Makai. And Reikai was out of bounds. "I doubt I would be given the same clemency as Yusuke had been regarding escaping the jaws of death. And I still have several reasons to remain among the living, one of them being yourself."

The priestess wanted to laugh, but there was no happiness in her, even as she comprehended that he was repeatedly saying that he loved her.

"Kurama, it is you who is being foolish now. I am a soul departed from Ningenkai. You are now bound to that world. Your involvement with Reikai notwithstanding, humans cannot be allowed to know all that you and I consider common knowledge. Things have changed. I'm not able to unconditionally trust you anymore." And, swallowing, she realized that it was the truth.

"I don't ask that of you. My wish at the moment would be different." Kurama paused. He didn't necessarily fancy using clichéd expressions to encase meaning into words, but there was no other way to fully explain the crucial point in less than an eternity. "I would have you love me."

"Kurama…" Judging by her expression, Kagome herself didn't know what to reply to that, though it likely wouldn't have been something akin to what he had just said. As much as she might wish to; she had hardened at least a little in the years of solitude.

"You've once asked not to deceive you any longer." he said, taking the wrists of the priestess, who released the fabric of his clothing upon the gesture. "I now strive to fulfil that request of yours."

Kagome remembered quite well how that had gone over last time. "I am trying to stay angry with you here. You could try to be more helpful."

It was a small victory that her behaviour had become less distant, less intent on maintaining a barrier, but it was no cause for celebration. "Unfortunately, we are at cross-purposes there."

"Only you would be able to speak of such things on the brink of death. Koenma…"

"I've spoken with him at some length." Kurama interrupted, forcing the priestess to look up at last. "I believe that he trusts me sufficiently to give his consent."

It was a move over the edge. Kagome took a step back, realizing that she was subtly being backed into a corner.

"But I will not give mine!" She couldn't… the plan, she had to think of how she wanted to root out Naraku and find InuYasha… weakness. She couldn't drag him into this, just as she couldn't interfere with the tournament. "You refuse to understand the core of the matter! Fifteen years ago, I thought this possible! But I was a fool! I'm no further to discovering _the_ wish than I was then! Every day that this continues to exist further proves that I am a failure."

"Kagome… you were never a failure. " And when he spoke it like that, she almost believed it.

"I fail Reikai each time I cannot destroy the jewel. And if, by some miracle, I am rid of it…" That, she hardly even believed now. "Kurama, do you really believe that I have had anything tying me to life other than my own will to fulfil my task in the past years? I fully intend to claim what ought to have been mine."

It would have been foolish to believe she was being sentimental in her meaning. She meant something that had avoided her by pure chance centuries ago, before they knew of the existence of each other.

_Death. Final, ultimate, unchangeable death._

"You are deceiving yourself. You will not die." Something in his speech darkened, his voice descending into a dangerous yet protective tone. In moments like these, it was easy to see that the ancient fox demon was the one moving the strings of the mortal soul he had claimed as part of his own. This was not persuasion; it was an ultimatum, almost a threat. Yet there was immense fear in it, fear of loss that Youko would have never admitted to feeling. "Reikai needs you. Your friends need you – the little one most of all, perhaps." Kurama's hands had moved to her shoulders, gripping them perhaps a touch too tightly. "And I will not allow you to make such a decision."

While he perhaps couldn't claim to need her the most out of the poor unfortunate souls that had grouped around her, Kurama believed he had earned the chance to be the one to stand at her side.

"You would stop me?" Kagome echoed. In terms of power, she could destroy him now without even moving a finger. That he could withstand her aura and proximity, let alone her touch, was a miracle in itself. But perhaps it was a testament of his sincerity and her love for him. In that moment, she hated her duty, which was to be realistic. She shook her head. "It is foolish to talk of such things."

A mild frown creased Kurama's brow, making him seem slightly more like his true incarnation. "I hardly believe caring for the fate of a loved one to be foolishness." But Youko wouldn't have used such words, certainly, even though, looking in his eyes, Kagome couldn't tell anymore.

"I cannot trust you." she said instead of an answer. Something buried deep within her would have sold the very jewel for those words fifteen years ago. "Therefore, I cannot believe you."

Two green eyes studied her more intensely than any microscope might. "What way of persuasion would be effective on you?"

He hadn't won the first round and he saw it, but he had passed the preliminary battle. "I… made a promise in this tournament." Kagome noted after a moment of internal deliberation. "That a champion of the winning team might do battle with me for the jewel after the tournament, if they wish to do so."

"Neither the Jewel nor death at your hands is what I hope to earn should we by chance win the tournament."

"I would not kill you. Perhaps it will only be a chance for us to speak properly. I don't know." And she didn't, not anymore. How to act or what to do. "I promise nothing."


	38. The key to the cage

A belated April Fool's greeting, everyone! I know that this chapter has been delayed and some of you have already had withdrawal symptoms (I sympathize, don't worry) but I had to rewrite this chapter from scratch, because it wasn't developing in a direction I wanted it to go. Also, I'd say that there won't be more than ten chapters until this story is completed and I will most certainly be sad to see it finished (though glad as well).

Anyway, sorry for the delay, it was because I'm drawing an entry for a KagKur contest, featuring the pair as Disney characters. A cookie and a teensy spoiler for those who want it if you guess which ones! Hint: main characters, pair. As if that wasn't obvious.

Status report: most of my time is spent with schoolwork and drawing nowadays. I finally started with the tough part of a Botticelli painting I'm to be reproducing, but damn, is that thing difficult.

And ZOMG! The IY manga really is about to end! Or perhaps in another thirty chapters. I have no idea. I kind of hope it'll end soon, because I want to know how it ends. But the latest chapter was a bit filler-like. The only thing that happened there was the accidental hit (not telling any of you anything) and I was disappointed about how that ended. Poor Not-Telling-Who! I liked him!

Anyway, I always liked Koto in YYH. Don't ask why – I just did. Her comments in the English dub were funny ("and now Karasu's running around like a cockroach at a tap-dance convention!") and she was cute in general. Juri I didn't like that much, because she wasn't that funny.

X X X

**The key to the cage**

X X X X X

"A woman can forgive a man for the harm he does her, but she can never forgive him for the sacrifices he makes on her account."

- W. Somerset Maugham

X X X X X

The finals were always Koto's favourite part of the Dark Tournament.

Oh, sure, the destruction and messy endings of the previous battles leading up to this were also entertaining in their own gory way, but the finals… now that was a class of its own. Usually, the perky – and, as she always said with a self-satisfied grin, foxy – announcer didn't care much about who won, exactly; the important thing was the fun involved!

And in the finals, the art of carving out the entrails of the enemy was perfected to the highest degree. It was artistic, even. Koto considered herself a critic par excellence regarding this. Besides, this time, it was twice as interesting, due to the backgrounds of both teams fighting for the mantle of champion. It was more of a personal dispute than an ordinary battle now, though Koto frowned at anyone who considered a battle ordinary.

She felt a bit sorry for Juri, actually. Her colleague and replacement – an unfortunate decision on part of the committee, but if they couldn't enjoy a fair fight, that was their problem – wasn't doing entirely too well. The semi-finals alone had taken somewhat a toll on her; the girl didn't have the experience or the skill at evading possible crashing debris and energy attacks the kitsune did. They hired just about any pretty face these days, assuming she showed a bit (or a lot) of skin; Koto didn't necessarily approve of Juri's outfit. A true announcer – a true star, she accented – didn't need to rely on such cheap tricks.

Aside from that, the girl had the strangest whims. For these finals, she had personally appealed to the committee to grant her protection in the form of the Reikai priestess, Kagome-sama, who was asked to do this to help maintain a steady commentary. She had no choice but to accept. It was another thing Koto didn't really approve of. Where was the fun in this if you couldn't savour the bloodshed firsthand?

Besides, one might feel even less safe in the vicinity of the priestess, whose aura alone could repel a weaker demon.

Glorious were those final battles; running for her life out of a crumbling stadium somewhat less so.

And, of course, there were quite a few chances to prove her supremacy in her profession during the battles.

Of course, she regretted having to watch from a distance once again, especially when Youko Kurama showed up again, foxy as ever. And here she had hoped to get close enough to ask for an autograph. Or a date, whichever she could get was very much worth a try.

Having a holy shield around when a hungry man-eating motion-sensitive plant was snaking its way towards you was _very_ useful, Juri was discovering. Naturally, she had no idea that Kagome herself was somewhat hesitant to move or get closer to the ojigi, simply because she wasn't quite certain how well her powers would work on something that wasn't exactly a demon.

And, as Kagome had said, divine intervention such as this was their greatest hope of survival. After all, after the spectacular transformation in a crackling storm of energy, Youko managed to finish the battle in a quick, clean manner.

How much cleaner than having a giant killer plant eat your opponent could you get?

Afterwards, even as Juri stumbled to her feet and tried to look on top of things again, reporting the end of the match with a faux-carefree smile, Youko ignored her soundly – that he had warned her of the plant alone was a greater mercy than such a creature deserved. His eyes settled on Kagome, who had remained standing at the edge of the ring, fingers entwined on the hilt of her katana. She was watching the proceedings silently, momentarily searching for Shippo and the girls he was with in the audience, but then glancing once more at him, forcing steel into her eyes.

Youko paid no heed to anything or anyone else. The match was decided; and now, to the important things.

She made no move to back away when he approached her; he hadn't expected her to.

"Stop." Kagome said, both softly and firmly, before he could come within two meters of her. "You are within range of the barrier." To back up her words, a brief shimmering screen of pinkish electricity flickered between them, only so much as to announce its presence, but certainly not enough to harm or destroy.

Which was disappointing, really, because Youko had hoped they had progressed past the stage of attacking each other some years ago. Nevertheless, he stopped as instructed to, no longer appearing as bored as he had been a few moments ago, but only slightly tilting his head to the right, as if in critical observation.

"I was expecting a somewhat more enthusiastic greeting this time. You've had enough time to work out what you'd like to say to me."

The priestess frowned and folded her arms, two fingers momentarily resting on the hilt of her sword, brushing against it casually, subconsciously, before she realized it and withdrew her hand.

"I said all that I wanted to say to _him_ already. I might not entirely understand the connection between you, but I assume you heard everything."

"And here I was about to commend his ability to apologize correctly." The kitsune seemed to sigh lightly without as much as moving. Not that he had expected the priestess to fall at his feet and apologize for her outbursts, but he had at least thought she would realize the necessity of the so-called deception by now. As much as he – for lack of a better word – loved Kagome, at times, he really wished she could stop refusing to cooperate at the most inconvenient of times. "It seems I still have to do everything myself."

Kagome blinked once, twice. She had definitely heard wrong. Again, the memory of the last time she had supposed he would apologize surfaced, but Kagome sincerely doubted he would try _that _in the plain view of dozens of demons when she had pointed out the barrier ready to incinerate anyone and anything, if needed.

"It took you fifteen years to realize that you should apologize to me?" That might actually make the entire wait worthwhile.

"As usual, you misunderstand entirely – that he botched the job is not my concern; he apologized for his decision." Youko said smoothly, albeit with just the slightest hint of irritation in his otherwise calm voice. It sounded like a gust of the north wind, his voice, yet it was warm to her. Especially when hearing it after so long. "Honestly, Kagome; fifteen years and all you ask about is an apology for a mistake _I_ didn't choose to make."

And there were so many much more interesting things they could speak of, he mused. After all, though he had practically hibernated for quite some time, his mind had remained active and he had contemplated one thing above all else: the wish that would release Kagome from her obligation. And he had come to a conclusion, a possibility that the priestess had likely never considered.

The jewel could be destroyed if _she_ used it as a demon would; if, indeed, it contained holy power as well as demonic, if she were to ask its power to become her own, the sacred energy would overcome the demonic, the sphere itself would be destroyed and her own power would be magnified. And because of her allegiance to Reikai and her vow as a priestess to care for the defenceless, it would not qualify as a selfish wish, but a just one.

The only drawback was that perhaps she would have to remain spotlessly pure herself to maintain the good nature of the power of the jewel. And that was where they came at cross-purposes, again. Because, amusements and puzzles and strange feelings of possessiveness aside, he had only tasted her skin a few precious times and that certainly wasn't a substitute for what he yet wished to sample her sweetness.

At least she was not as changed as he had originally supposed, because the priestess childishly crossed her arms. "If you're not going to apologize, we have absolutely nothing to speak about." she proclaimed in a manner that was so… _her_ that his smile was almost kind.

It was just a touch too wry. "You were always a very bad liar."

"You're the one whose time is measured by the second here." Kagome reminded him unnecessarily.

But there was a strange excitement in her, rolling off her in waves. It wasn't anything of the physical sort – Kagome was too innocent to feel lust in such an intense manner. It was the joy of seeing him alive, real, in front of her, that her shock and horror had initially overridden. And there was some secret there as well, because Youko could almost hear her inner voice screaming at her that under no circumstances was she to even think of reaching out and…

"Don't you have anything better to spend your remaining ten minutes of freedom on?"

Perhaps a million things, perhaps none, but nothing else was so close, so familiar in this foreign world, so desirable. "Around here? Hardly."

"Um… excuse me?"

Juri, in a state of mildly dazed anxiety (of the second degree on the fangirl scale, involving daydreaming and only mild drooling) flinched as two glares of icy daggers bore into her. She had intended to try and make some sort of brief interview, as she had tried to do with Genkai before realizing that the old lady was not so much of a "young gal" anymore. But whereas the elderly fighter had only smirked faintly and kindly, these two made the announcer want to crawl into a nice dark hole and hide.

"I-I'll, uh, just go start the second fight, then, shall I?"

Before either of them could answer, there was a flash of light and a semi-mighty explosion from the general direction of the carnivorous plant Youko had unleashed during the duel. Juri screamed and stumbled back just out of reflex before spotting a faint screen of pinkish energy glimmering between her and the explosion. It didn't put her completely at ease, though. Apparently, it wasn't digesting Karasu with satisfaction at a job well-done yet, because once the smoke cleared, the crow demon surfaced, seemingly unharmed and strangely not covered with bits of exploded plant intestines and slime.

"I wouldn't write me out just yet."

Juri had had quite enough. Explosions and bones breaking and slime and blood on her good outfit. And always dodging things. She certainly didn't fancy physical injury; in fact, she now understood just why Koto was so agile. Acrobatics were a necessity in this line of work, apparently. And she had thought this would just be good pay for looking pretty and announcing who got eviscerated! This was _so_ not in her job description!

"M-my mistake!" she called with a shaky, almost unbalanced laugh. "Okay, everyone, forget what I just said, the fight will continue! I've had enough of this." she muttered to herself, slipping out of the ring.

"I'll be with you in two minutes." Youko noted as Kagome sidestepped to pass him by and head over to where Juri was. All the while, he kept his eyes on returned opponent, though the same couldn't be said for his attention.

And it was modesty that made him speak in such a manner, because Kagome understood that now that he meant business and wasn't going to toy with his prey, the kitsune was completely capable of ending the battle in one minute. Nevertheless, she didn't deign it necessary to reply. She realized only then that they were in the view of hundreds of demons and that them speaking at all was a commotion in itself.

But something about how relatively freely they had conversed seemed to have changed the battlefield.

Of course, no one save Kurama himself knew what had happened after the last duel of the semi-finals that he had gone to watch and no one was even marginally aware of the most peculiar interest Karasu seemed to have in him. Not that it mattered much from the larger perspective of all the events that were taking place, but from the viewpoint of this particular battle, it was a crucial thing.

In Karasu's eyes, it could seem almost as if the priestess was interfering with something private, intimate, even. And one who attempted to steal a precious possession was never welcome, even though truthfully, the demon could do nothing. Not in this battle, for certain and even the triumph of gloating after a victory would be denied to him, if he didn't want to try his chances with Kagome. And, well-deserved arrogance aside for just a single moment, if he hadn't been able to beat Toguro, he certainly was no opponent for the priestess, whose renown dwarfed that of all the demons present put together.

But there was _one_ way to hurt the offender; not directly, no, unfortunately, but through making her _watch_…

Often, helplessness was more torturous than pain itself.

Juri would never quite get used to being protected by a holy barrier from explosions of youki, but she could freely admit that it was useful, assuming she didn't have to touch the barrier itself. That would be… ouch. _Ouch. _

Now, she didn't necessarily consider bloodshed an art, but being a demoness just like the next girl, she could appreciate it once in a while. However, torture wasn't her thing, for certain. She was fortunate enough not to get sick at the sight of blood, but the few minutes during which light and blood and screams mingled, she would remember for a long time. It was one of the reasons why she eventually decided to return to her old job at a restaurant. Sure, the pay was a touch more meagre than that of an announcer, but being a TV star wasn't worth shedding blood over.

Another thing she would remember for quite some time was the droplets of blood.

It was what she noticed first, because her eyes were downcast for a minute or two, because the dust had yet to settle. In front of her, the lady priestess stood, ready to protect them both with the barrier again, should there be another explosion. Her posture was as rigid as ever and Juri saw something red on her hands. And she realized that the hands of the priestess, which had always been very pale, especially against the contrasting black kimono (which was nice, albeit old-fashioned in Juri's opinion) were almost snow-white and a soft red liquid had begun to fall in small droplets from her curled fist.

After a moment, she unclenched her hands momentarily, feeling the pain on some subconscious level, and Juri saw that her short round nails had left almost claw-like marks on her open palms, half-moons sketched out in blood. She wasn't shaking – her posture was too stiff – but Juri was now scared of even the defensive barrier in front of her, because though the priestess was calm in expression, one who wasn't a masochist likely employed pain as a means of dimming some other strong impulse.

_If he dies before I get the chance to smack him for being a complete idiot, I'll hunt him down in the afterlife and kill him myself._ Kagome heard herself thinking desperately. But Kurama couldn't – wouldn't – _mustn_'_t - _die. Not now. Not before that beating and before she would finally get a chance to say all that she couldn't have said a moment ago.

She couldn't move. She mustn't intervene. It would jeopardize her plan. It would put Reikai in a compromising position. It would scare away InuYasha and ruin the purpose of all that she had told Kurama.

If things had lasted a moment longer, she would have moved.

She was the only one who likely sensed Kurama wasn't dead before even he himself did. In that moment, she would have liked nothing better than to kill him with her own two hands, then force Koenma to revive him and beat some common sense into him before breaking down and crying and never letting him go again.

But she couldn't even move to help him up when everything was over, even when the injustice that was his loss was proclaimed by the little demoness she was to be shielding. It was a technicality, his loss, but Kagome supposed they should have been expecting it. It wasn't as if the committee favoured their team.

During the second fight, she seemed a bit unfocused on the battles, but she took extra care not to look at where Kurama had been brought to lean against the edge of the ring and rest.

The stench of gunpowder and drying blood was still thick in the arena.

Kurama was almost glad for the intervention. Of course the ring itself was in need of some heavy repairs, but what mattered most was that he needed to clean his wounds somewhat. There was absolutely no chance of getting dry and clean clothing at the moment, but his injuries were severe and needed tending to, no matter what. Besides, he had lost blood, enough to make him feel slightly dizzy. Having a few hours of rest to look forward to was a blessing.

And Karasu was dead. He felt no grim satisfaction, no vindictive glee, only a strange emptiness. The fear of the crow demon would likely stay with him and bring him nightmares over the next few days. It had been so long since he had last felt true fear that he had forgotten the taste of it and the relief that only survival could bring.

That he had lost was regrettable, but they had a chance yet. A chance… he hadn't thought they had any since they had arrived.

Yusuke and Kuwabara were both gracious enough to help him limp into their quasi-locker room in the stadium. Aside from that, they had to carry the unconscious Hiei there (Koenma had mysteriously disappeared a little while ago, presumably either to vent some stress by yelling at Botan or to dash into the restrooms).

And though relief hung in the air – relief that two of them had their final battle behind them and would survive for a little longer – fear and dread did as well. Kuwabara was next… and he had always been the weakest among them, if one was to examine their group critically.

The human boy looked very much aware of that face; likely, it was the fact of Elder Toguro he saw when gazing into empty space, his jaw tightly clenched.

Kurama could understand and sympathize. Words would not help here; only silence, perhaps.

"Oh, hi, Kagome-chan!" Kuwabara brightened up suddenly, being the first to spot the priestess at the door. She seemed a bit anxious, but she was hiding it pretty well, especially when she was armed as she was. She was carrying a box of some sort under her right arm, visibly white in comparison to her black kimono.

Yusuke flashed a grin upon seeing her, but it was far fainter and weaker than his usual smirk of superior cockiness. It seemed that in life-threatening situations, the Spirit Detective's more mature side tended to surface. "Hey. You wouldn't happen to be offering crash-courses in holy powers, would you? Cause in the off-chance that you are, sign me up." Then again, perhaps not.

Kagome knew better than to smile; she saw that natural fear for survival no one was immune to in his eyes. Vaguely, she wondered if this was how she had looked when the jewel was first bestowed upon her. Frightened, but determined to fight. No… there had been only fear in her. "I'm afraid you'd need more than a crash-course to access such energy, Urameshi-san."

"Damn." Apparently, that exhausted his supply of fitting yet useless replies. Knowing not what else to say on the matter of their likely impending demise, Yusuke decided that anything was a better topic and took the arrival of the priestess as a possible way out. "Anyway, I've been meaning to ask – what was up between you guys during the match?" His grin, artificially wide as it was, didn't waver when he glanced from Kagome to Kurama and back, very grateful that the current tension wasn't a result of the death looming over them. "Lovers' spat already? I knew you had it in you, man!" Yusuke made a move as if to pat the fox demon on the back, but decided against using too much force mid-motion, seeing all the dried blood again. "That's our Kurama; never settles for anything ordinary, not even when it comes to girls."

The lovebirds said nothing, but Kuwabara punched him quite on cue. Not as hard as he ought to, perhaps, but still punched him. "Shut up, Urameshi."

"Oh yeah, carrot top? What's it to you?"

Contrary to what Kuwabara might think, Yusuke was mostly aware of what was going on, mostly because of Botan's fidgeting and a few threats _and_ of course the fact that Kurama always looked at the priestess like a hungry kid at two trucks filled with candy. Make that a feral look, as if the kid intended to kill the truck drivers if they got in the way. That had to be a demon thing.

"Listen, punk, be an absolute jerk to anyone else if you have to be, but drop this! Can't you see it's bothering them!?"

"I've brought these bandages and a first aid kit from the so-called medical room in the stadium." Kagome interjected before anything nastier than a few insults could be exchanged, producing three sets of clean bandages, antiseptics, painkillers and other useful healing tools from the box decorated with a miniature red cross. She laid them on the bench near the sleeping Hiei, but didn't move to use them. When she turned to Kurama, her gaze was somewhat stern and yet not forceful. A nurse scolding a patient for overstressing their wound, "You've developed a really irritating tendency to martyr yourself. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I liked the "every man for himself" approach you used to have more."

Kurama remembered well that he had expressed a wish not to have to go through with an attempt at self-sacrifice. But some higher power was either testing him or he had fallen out of favour with it for the time being. But if it was a means of approaching Kagome, who was he to complain? "This time, unfortunately, it didn't achieve the goal intended. I hope the offer to speak with you still stands." He wanted to survive now. After he had succeeded in killing his final opponent, despite having lost, he realized that he _wanted_ to live. "Or will it be required to fulfil the terms of the meeting and win against you?"

It seemed that Kagome had forgotten all about such a promise in light of the events of the past hour – and that was a welcome sign. "We'll see when we get there. But if you die on me again…" she frowned in a scolding manner. "I won't forgive you twice."

At that moment, she looked so much like a more sombre version of Keiko.

"Again? Ow, idiot!" Yusuke yelled, having spoken without intending to and receiving another – this time well-aimed – punch from Kuwabara.

"Yes, you are!"

"So I have been granted your pardon?" Kurama asked before Kagome's attention could stray.

For a few seconds, the priestess remained motionless, contemplating, the statue of a champion of good, carved of obsidian and ivory. It was this face she had displayed once, long ago, before she and Youko had embarked on a journey to the encampment of his horde, a sign of the mature soul within her.

"Yes, for acting stupid and noble and responsible for once in your life and dying on me." Her voice was soft as she nodded once.

Though she hated him for risking his existence on what some would view as foolish, it had been that foolishness that had moved her. Because she saw what it was that this new life, this human existence had taught the once unmovable fox demon. It had started as regret… but now, it was compassion.

"Only for that." she clarified, raising a finger to underline that point. "I'm still angry."

Kurama couldn't smile. Not only was the physical pain still too much, but he realized that though this had been the greatest and most difficult step, it took very much to move Kagome when she felt betrayed.

"I gathered that much." He paused. There remained one thing he intended to say, whatever the outcome for them might be. "This might not be the best time and place, but I think we'll never have much luck in that matter…in case that I fail you a second time in this matter, Kagome… I couldn't die for you. But I would live for you, if I can."

The words carried more weigh than the momentary change in Kagome's countenance could tell. If not for the thought of Kikyo and the voice of Naraku echoing in her mind, she would have likely tossed her entire plan aside in that moment and rushed to embrace him, wounds or no wounds.

"I'm _still_ angry." she said instead, and it was a half-truth, because the rage she felt now was directed at a different target. "If you die, I'll kill you anyway."

"That doesn't make any sense, does it?" Yusuke quipped, alerting the pair to the continued presence of four other watching eyes and an equal number of eavesdropping ears.

"_You've_ done it before, Urameshi!" Kuwabara reprimanded his friend with a hush-like sound. "Now shut your trap; you'll ruin the romantic moment!"

"Romantic my ass! I ain't gonna watch you start crying at the end of it! I forgot my camera back home, so I can't tape your stupid reaction and blackmail you with it!"

"Say that again, you punk!"

"You seem to be in better spirits now." Kurama noted before punches could fly.

Kuwabara stopped mid-punch, actually. "A bit, I guess… well, not really…" he amended, seeing the doubtful and sympathetic looks he received.

Yusuke, however, only folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "Suck it up, big guy. We're not dead yet."

"Yeah, but I'd feel better if you had picked Kagome-chan as the substitute." Kuwabara muttered.

"I cannot intervene in that way, Kuwabara-kun. The tournament is outside my jurisdiction. I can act after it, not before."

"And what about that mission of yours, that demon capture… thing?" A very suave way of putting it, all of them agreed.

"That has almost nothing to do with this tournament. Besides, my target isn't a contestant."

"Oh."

"Anyway, Kurama, couldn't you've saved confession-time for a moment I had a cam?" Yusuke drawled, then smirked. "Or maybe you kids should get a room before Kuwabara here has a fit of maidenly panic."

"Urameshi, you punk!"

"I should be going." Kagome said swiftly, moving towards the door without a farewell.

"Why? It'll be hours till they get the new ring in. Besides," Again, that grin that just told you the Spirit Detective had no chance of mastering holy energy due to what was currently going on in his mind. "I think me and Kuwabara know nothing bout fastening bandages and all that stuff, but I'm pretty sure miko do."

"Yusuke, if Kagome must go, we shouldn't detain her." Kurama interjected before the priestess could get what he was suggesting – for a moment, she appeared confused, then blinked, then lowered her head.

"Aw, c'mon, don't be so prudish, Kurama! Live a little while you can! Geez, what are you, eighty?"

"We might not live that long, you know." Kuwabara muttered darkly, which did nothing to better the mood.

Kagome decided to take that as her cue to leave. "Anyway, I want to go check out what Koenma is doing before going back to see Hitomi-san. Maybe you guys should go take a walk, too; fresh air can do wonders to a mind before a battle."

When she was out of earshot, Yusuke raised an eyebrow in an almost uncharacteristic gesture. "Now we really have to win, don't we?" he noted, glancing at the fox demon.

"Yes…" Kurama smiled vaguely at the doorway. "I suppose we do."


	39. Between truth and lies

Look at that! New chapter! Isn't it wonderful? I had to take Kagome out of the finals somehow – this scene was intended for later, but I really thought I liked it here. So here it is! King Yama has never been too much of a favourite of mine, but I thought he should be briefly included in all the madness.

The first scene was supposed to be slightly reminiscent of the scene in the confession chapter, when Kuronue teases Youko about being in love with Kagome.

As for the wish, I hope you like it. Remember that Kagome knows only the bare facts, nothing about what happens in canon YYH, so she decides to do what she does.

Beware the cliffhanger, though; originally, it wasn't supposed to be there and the whole thing was going to be one great, long scene, but with the first scene being written as a plot device, I didn't want to stretch this chapter too much, especially since nothing not canon happens in-between these two scenes, essentially.

Status report: My drawings and paintings are sucking my life away. I'm diligently preparing for exams now, as they begin as soon as May. (Sigh). Some of you might have noticed that I have begun writing a new fanfic on NWN2, but I couldn't help myself. I just love the expansion and I want to do it justice.

Anime lovers, expect a Rurouni Kenshin fanfic from me someday soon, with some IY themes. Not telling which – it's planned out, but not written yet. I have to finish this one first. Speaking of which,** I'm guessing at another five chapters at most before this baby is done. **

_Yikes!_

**Read and review, please!**

X X X

**Between truth and lies**

X X X X X

"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge – myth is more potent than history – dreams are more powerful than facts – hope always triumphs over existence – laughter is the cure for grief – love is stronger than death."

- Robert Fulghum

X X X X X

If things were different, perhaps the lives of those that had perished in the stadium in the finals could have been saved. However, there was no disobeying orders.

And so, hours later, Kagome was kneeling before King Yama in Reikai. Of all the times the ruler of Reikai wanted to see her, the finals had to be one, depriving her of the chance to see if the fates of the humans she had come to care for would be so untimely sealed. But a summons from King Yama didn't occur every day and anyone it concerned knew better than to refuse, no matter what the situation or the reason.

Her thoughts constantly strayed to her mortal friends, to InuYasha, to the plan that was beginning to crumble. She had hoped to at least spot the hanyou himself long before this. Yet somehow, it was proving impossible… and once the tournament was over, she would have to return back to Reikai and perhaps this task would be moved to the capacity of the Spirit Detective of Ningenkai.

Assuming, of course, that Ningenkai would yet have a Spirit Detective by then.

Outwardly, the priestess retained her calm, knowing that the ruler of Reikai had no patience for such displays of personal feelings on the administrative of Spirit World.

Yama himself was human-like in appearance, save for being frighteningly large. Usually, he was away on trips and left all the administrative business to his son, but that didn't mean that the staff of the palace wasn't thoroughly terrified of its ruler. He was a strict, but fair ruler, and often went by the rule that one should kill a few to save the many.

Kagome had no true feelings about him; he was so unlike her friends that she couldn't like him, but she could respect him for his position.

"Arise, Kagome-kun. You are more daughter than underling to me after these countless centuries."

His deep voice could have been booming and the audience was nothing like a meeting between family members. Perhaps the king was more gracious with Kagome because she had been a servant of Reikai for almost as long as his own son, but that didn't necessarily make them very close.

"Hai." The priestess stood up, as ordered. Everyone fulfilled orders from the king to the letter. Yet… hers were still unclear.

"I have been following your progress in the human world closely." Yama announced, surprising Kagome somewhat. Usually, the king didn't keep tabs on his underlings, being far too busy with business trips and the like. This was Koenma's job, unless a state of emergency had been declared – and, to her knowledge, it hadn't. "Your report states that you are close to completing your age-long task. Is that correct?"

"Yes, your highness." Kagome said respectfully. Odd. Her report, made long ago, was always getting enhanced by new sightings of InuYasha in Makai and now in Ningenkai. "It is simply a matter of time before InuYasha comes within my range and then, I intend to deal with two tasks in one fell swoop."

"You are certain of this wish?"

A thousand times, she would have to confirm this. And she would do so, gladly. "I am. There is a chance of failure, but I am prepared to face the consequences of that. If all goes well, however…"

"Have you thought of how you would deal with the purified hanyou – assuming he survives the process of purification? You understand that he cannot be allowed to re-enter Ningenkai, even as a human. Both for his sake and that of the Realms."

"I know. But if I may, I would say that such a decision shouldn't be made before we can determine his state of mind after the transformation. He deserves to be freed of madness, if nothing else."

King Yama nodded, as if expecting some such response. "A reasonable answer, I suppose."

"Was there anything else you needed me for, your highness? I'm sorry, but I'm anxious to return to the tournament."

"Indeed. Or perhaps to that fox demon you've managed to enthral." Kagome blinked; the tone of the king was far from snide, but this was as much of a jab as one of his position might make. She also wasn't entirely certain she liked his tone. "That I have not spoken to you of the matter does not mean I am not aware of it. I have sufficient information of your activities both in Makai and Ningenkai, perhaps more than my son has been privileged to gather."

"I have told Koenma-sama of my feelings on the matter." The key was not to show the king any emotions; he was a pragmatic, cynical man. Jaded.

"Yes, with your fist." Again, there was no kindness or snide anger in the comment. It was as if he was reciting facts. "I should scold you for such behaviour, but in light of the situation, it was an appropriate rebuttal. Had I known of the problem before this tournament had commenced, I would have informed you of the matter and resolved it without the procrastination my son is becoming an expert at." Yama paused; he seemed to be getting to the reason why he had called Kagome in the first place. "I would like to hear a report on this demon from you; I am aware of your personal feelings and I am not asking about those. I want to know whether it is safe to allow him to remain in his human disguise and in contact with the human world or not."

"And if it were not the case?"

"A-class demons might lose their power, but the potential to reclaim it is always there. He would be exiled back into Makai from whence he came or, in light of the fact that the body he chose to possess had begun to form a soul; he would undergo purification at your hands. It is a strict, but necessary decision."

Strict? Cruel, was more like it! To ask her to kill him had been atrociously impertinent of them, but purification meant utter destruction of a demonic soul, not only its body.

"Kurama-san retains all that he has possessed in his previous existence, but the forming human soul within him had opened his mind to compassion, if not regret at how he had disregarded humans previously. He is… he is a good person." She couldn't even voice such a gross simplification.

"Demons are vicious and malevolent by nature, Kagome-kun, as you very well know. But those with intelligence are also cunning and deceptive." Yama noted with a frown he clearly considered mild.

"Then… then if you do not trust him, trust in humankind." Kagome argued. Her passionate speech would have surprised the king greatly had he not known of her romantic involvement with the demon in question. "Allow him the lifetime among them that may teach him to see through their eyes. And save your judgment of him until the death of his human self brings him to these halls."

"One good deed cannot redeem centuries of cruelty. But so be it, then. Should you prove to be right, I am willing to turn a blind eye to the trail of crimes that follows him; they do not concern my domain, but the world of demons, and I care little for their politics. Should you prove wrong…"

"That will not happen." Usually, she wouldn't be so bold as to interject.

To Yama, it was the ultimate proof of how blind love can be. "For all your power, Kagome-kun, you are still human at heart. But should it happen, he will be made to answer for the ultimate theft he committed when he stole a human soul and overtook its intended body. That soul is now part of him and cannot exist as a separate entity unless they are separated through your power."

"My king… I couldn't obey such an order twice." How blind love was! She was refusing a direct order, which was unforgivable, but this time, she was not hysterical or angry; she was saying this as a fact. "I would destroy myself before doing so."

"Treason is the ultimate sin, Kagome-kun." And blackmail such as this was trailing closely behind that on the list. "And for the sake of a demon…"

"I betrayed myself and him once by not being strong enough to refuse such an order. I cannot do so again, your highness."

Then she was lost; there was no use reasoning with her. "So he has succeeded in stealing even the very core if Reikai, it seems. I appear to have underestimated him. And what cause might you have for such unwavering loyalty to someone who has offered you nothing but lies?"

"Because he has begun to believe in the lie for my sake, your highness. And when you believe strongly enough in something, it can become truth."

Foolishness, the king reflected. But then again, it was a wonder that the countless centuries guarding the jewel hadn't driven Kagome mad, as one would expect from a human mind. Instead, she had reached a kind of simplicity in thought and speech, and in simplicity was beauty and wisdom. Yet she still believed in the power of the so-called redemption that humans praised nowadays.

He had never been human; he didn't and couldn't believe in it.

Moreover, Kagome, in her purity, was a jewel of Reikai, and handing her to one of its enemies was a mistake not even his son should be foolish enough to make.

The fate of the jewel or that hanyou, InuYasha, didn't concern him as long as Kagome remained in Reikai to protect the former. But the order of the Realms was perhaps in risk of being breached, and for what?

Ah, the delusions of the young.

"Go, then, but with no blessing of mine." he said ultimately, watching the priestess bow and depart once more.

Her strength would be tested before this was over, for certain, and unless truth was stronger than time, she would break again, quietly, slowly, and wither away. How was one to best aid her on her quest? Perhaps it would have been a mercy to let her die, but that was out of the question.

Or, for the sake of her peace of mind, he _could_ grant her permission to remain as an observer of the fox demon in human form, living among ningen as he did but never part of them.

The greatest crime of the world was that what was merciful for one was never identical with that which was beneficial for all.

X X X X X

Victory was a bitter aphrodisiac.

Leaving only dust and destruction behind them, Team Urameshi had overcome the odds that had been so impossibly stacked against them. Before the third battle could begin, Kagome was called away to Spirit World, by King Yama himself. Now, a day later, members of the former team were waiting for her at the place Shippo had informed them she would meet them. The demonic kit had gotten quite used to the presence of the girls, peculiarly Shizuru especially, with whom he often traded jabs. The young woman certainly wouldn't admit it, but there was something endearing about bickering with a cute little furball like that.

Kurama had filled his friends in on the wager that had been given by Reikai: that one of the champion team might battle the priestess for her prize, which was an impossible task even in Hiei's opinion, though he had offered it with his usual cool indifference. Of course, all of them knew that this was mostly a pretext so that Kagome might talk to Kurama one last time before returning to Reikai and make things plain between them once and for all. But in the aftermath of the recent events, they weren't necessarily certain it was a good thing.

Especially with the way she had been called off right when her help could have been used the most. No one would argue that Toguro had been out of control and even if she hadn't directly intervened, her shielding powers might have been invaluable. Shippo couldn't do much in the matter; as for Kagewaki, who had been strangely absent for some time, speaking only to Kagome and never around when a member of the team approached her for whatever reason, he had left as well to perform one final swoop of the stadium outskirts.

Their mission had been a failure; InuYasha hadn't appeared once, other than in faint traces. There was little hope that Kagome would bring news that could culminate into a happy ending and a date long overdue, as Kuwabara put it.

But there was little humour even in the tournament champions. They all felt a certain relief, peace that they would be able to go on with their lives, but the loss that they had suffered still remained a deep wound. Grievous… but healing.

Genkai, their trainer, their mystery fighter, one of the most remarkable humans they had ever encountered, was dead, having sacrificed her life to ensure their victory.

As Kagome was returning from Reikai, she realized that it was once again like she had told Kurama; she was a failure. She wouldn't be able to succeed in her never-ending mission. And if that never happened, she could never escape the life she lived, as she had tried to years ago.

She had begun to cry without noticing it. Was this her fate; to be forever tempted by the life she could have had and would never have? A priestess should be able to let go of such things… but she was human at heart, as King Yama had said to her, with a hint of disappointment. She was not the perfect protector she had striven to be. But if her feelings were a mistake, then she was glad to be a flawed creature.

She didn't even go to seek out Kagewaki before the duel, going instead straight to the place.

_Do you _truly_ know what it is to love a demon, ojou-san?_

Her sensei had counselled a woman who had once had a youkai lover and ended up bearing a child. With those words, she had protested that someone who felt no love couldn't know what it is like. Kagome did. She knew only one other that had faced a similar fate and she seemed to be destined to follow a similar path…

Kagome stopped dead in her tracks. The faces… if they… if she… if all of them desired… and they were diverse, so different, so unlike each other, representing… representing _all_ and the desire wasn't… without true gain save for the most natural…

Her eyes were wide; tears had stopped flowing from them, as if time itself had stopped.

There was a way.

Kurama was the first to saw her approach. She was dressed in her old clothing, exactly as _he_ remembered her, in bright red hakama and a stainless white haori, as a priestess should be. He recalled that she had once told him her sensei never fought with bows and arrows, only with swords. The katana she now carried was at her hip again, but its hilt was turned towards them in a peaceful gesture. The way she walked was not like one readying themselves for battle would do.

But Kurama dreaded this moment; he would have likely been more at peace with things if she said outright that she hated him for the lie that had ultimately meant to protect her and never wished to see him again. Because this could be the final farewell in this life they had.

Yet this time, her face concealed nothing. Stripped of its cool mask by wild, almost feverish hope, Kagome's face looked a little ill and pale. But her eyes, clear blue as two cornflowers might be, not like the storm that had been raging in them for days, were the eyes of someone who had just lost their fear of the night because they had discovered the stars.

And when they rested on him, for a moment, nothing else than love shone in them, an almost feral light that had been caged and sealed away for far too long and was awed to finally be free.

Perhaps the impulse came from Youko, but in that moment, he likely wouldn't have hesitated to raise his weapon against King Yama himself if he dared step into things.

"Well, let's get this over with then, you guys." Yusuke broke the irritatingly awkward silence. Perhaps he did so to prod Kagome into confessing the inevitable. Even his goofiness didn't lighten the atmosphere, which was saying something, and thus he glared back at the others, who glared at him, as if berating him for his lack of tact.

Kagome had regained her composure and took a deep breath, but a wild excitement was dancing in her eyes, as if she had discovered a way to establish world peace and end famine in one fell swoop.

"The plans have changed. I withdraw the wager."

"What?!" Yusuke jumped up again before Kurama, to whom the message was intended, could even blink. "Whaddaya mean, you withdraw the wager? Is this some womanly whim or something? Oh, I get it." he grinned before answering his own question. "Koenma messed up again and his old man found out, didn't he? Was pacifier-breath threatened with spankings if he didn't fix things?" The Spirit Detective snickered a bit. "Or were _you_ threatened with spankings?"

"Spankings?!" Kuwabara cringed. "That is just sick, Urameshi! The fact that Koenma looks like a toddler most of the time is one thing, but being spanked by a toddler is just really wrong!"

"Actually," Kagome interjected pointedly before the Spirit Detective could make some mocking retort, "a whim might be the best way to describe it. I have come to tell you something. Save the questions till after I'm finished."

Kuwabara almost dutifully raised his hand. "Can I just ask one question before you start?"

"Certainly, Kuwabara-kun." Kagome had no idea what he might want to ask.

"Are spankings really the punishment Spirit World dishes out at evil-doers?" Apparently, she should have known better than to think she wanted to know. Excluding Hiei, who simply muttered something clearly unflattering about Kuwabara, everyone present felt a drop of sweat tickle down their temple.

"Please continue, Kagome." Kurama interjected before someone would get injured, as he understood the fine line between the safety and danger modes of the pulsing of a particular vein on Yusuke's forehead rather well.

The priestess nodded, but didn't look him in the eyes for a few seconds. "I have done quite a lot of thinking about the whole ordeal you all were put through. The tournament and its consequences… and your actions that have led up to this point."

"Spare us the unnecessary and get to the point." Hiei interjected rather harshly, the tone matching his expression.

Kagome seemed slightly taken aback by such rudeness. She seemed to have trouble finding the words. "Willingly or not, you have been agents of Reikai up till now. And in your current condition, none of you are up to the task to withstand a battle. Any challenge on my part wouldn't have been just."

"Cool! So you have an honour code too, Kagome-chan?" Kuwabara used the momentary pause to steal the spotlight once more. Yusuke gave him a punch just in case he would start raving about his code and how alike this made them. This resulted in a brief friendly beating, which lasted approximately ten seconds, until the orange-haired boy reluctantly backed down and Kagome continued.

Hiei scoffed at being considered weak, but it was the truth and he knew it, so he simply contended himself to narrowing his eyes at the priestess. What Kurama saw in such a creature, he would never know.

If Botan, had she been hiding in the nearby bushes innocently, would have expected a romantic declaration, she would have been in for a rather rough shock. Still, she might have gotten her day's worth of excitement despite that loss. From within her robes, the priestess withdrew a sphere of a radiant pinkish light all of them recognized.

"This has been entrusted into my care until I or someone wiser could find a wish that would be pure in every way, allowing the jewel to be purified."

"A pure wish?" Yusuke resurfaced from his attempt at beating Kuwabara to a pulp briefly upon hearing this part of the information.

The priestess nodded, but it was Kurama who answered. "The sacred jewel is an amplifier of demonic power when in the hands of a youkai. However, it is said that if the holder of the jewel makes a wish that cannot be twisted and made corrupt, the jewel itself will likely vanish upon fulfilling it." he explained patiently.

"That's utter foolishness." Hiei interjected, folding his arms, though Kurama noticed the topic had caught his interest, if only somewhat, as every demon and their grandmother knew that. "There's no wish that can't be looked at from another point of view. Evil is a point of view – so any wish is corruptible."

"True, I thought so too." Kagome said with a nod. "I have spent centuries searching for a possible answer."

"What a waste of time."

"Hiei, please." Kurama's tone was more warning and requesting than pleading, and everyone noticed it – his eyes were fixed on Kagome, silently imploring her to go on. He could guess what would be said, though it was a slight hope. But what other reason might she have for telling them this? He wondered what conclusion she had come to.

Kagome waited for silence before resuming once more. "Had the circumstances been different, your victory in the tournament would have granted each of you a wish from the committee. None of us wants to deal with what ifs – but where the committee has denied you the prize… I think I can grant you what you wish." Her voice was resolute, her eyes burning with an almost zealot-like fire of hope, but something in her still hesitated, if only for a fraction of a second.

Sharp green eyes widened as Kurama comprehended exactly what she meant before she even voiced it. "Are you saying…?" Everyone knew what their wish would be; the one and only.

From the reaction, Kagome knew that she had hit the mark as no archer ever would be able to in life.

"Your doings in the finals have convinced me that if there will ever be anything even close to a pure wish, it's this." Her eyes swept the team, out of which only Kuwabara didn't seem to have completely realized what she was saying yet. "Not only do you, four completely different individuals, share it, but others, representing all Three Realms, support it."

"Whoa, there, not so fast with the noble and pure crap." Yusuke interjected in his usual manner. Ever since the death, he had been brooding often, in deep thought, a look of misery along with a glare on his face. This was more natural of him. "You're saying you could do it? Bring…her back?" He couldn't bring himself to mention death or Genkai's name. Not yet. Not now.

Kagome interpreted it as hope on his part. "I'm not saying I could do it. I'm saying I _will_ do it."

The magnitude of what she was saying couldn't be shown by words or silence. The jewel would resurrect Genkai, the warrior respected by all, without any hope of gain from their side. That was selflessness.

"Well then what are you doing standing there spewing that high and mighty nonsense! Do it! _Now!_" But it wasn't as imperious as it usually would have been – there was a silent please behind it. Still, it seemed that the spirit detective couldn't bring himself to entirely believing it. It was far too good to be true.

"Wait a moment Yusuke; won't Koenma object to this arrangement?"

"Who cares what toddler-face has to say?! She said she'll do it and if toddler-face wants to stop that, he's gonna have to come through me first!"

"My mission is beyond even Koenma-sama's jurisdiction." Kagome answered Kurama's question, ignoring the Spirit Detective's outburst. "I will have to find some other way of dealing with the problem of InuYasha, but I intend to go through with this, no matter what."

Kurama was studying her very carefully, despite the bubble of hope that had begun to grow within him as well. "What must we do?" he asked softly. If this worked… if the jewel vanished, Kagome would be free.

"You need only think of her. As strongly as you can. I will make the wish."

The sphere had begun to glow brightly, eerily, almost, in her hands, and as she asked them to form a square around her, Kagome clasped her hands around the jewel. Its light seemed to surround even her now and in her mind, compassion and hope and yearning mingled around the single wish all of them shared, reigen, ningen and youkai…

_Return Genkai-obaachan to them…_

How does one formulate a wish of such magnitude without resolving to the simplest and most direct words? There were was no other way.

Energy unlike anything any of them had ever witnessed culminated around the centre point that was the jewel. They had to close their eyes to keep the blinding light at bay.

But something was wrong. There was a flicker in the light, a parasite in their dream. In a strangely submissive gesture, the jewel dematerialized into pure energy, a force that vanished from Kagome's hands and entered her body, lending her both its radiance and power… and the first spasm of anguish that passed through her was caused by the powerful battle between good and evil she had never before felt contained within the jewel. Now, the struggle raged within her, as if her own mind was split into two.

The second pain came moments later, when the breath was pushed out of her lungs. Something long and snake-like had pierced her abdomen with such force and speed that she hadn't been able to counter it. Her feet left the ground; the first thing she saw was the draconic tail of a tentacle that had impaled her like a thick spear during her unguarded moment.

And when she raised her almost limp head, Kagome found herself staring into the brilliant reddish eyes of Naraku.


	40. The final threshold

Chapter forty! W00T!

This is my best chapter yet, I think! All will be revealed here, so rejoice ye fans!

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**The final threshold**

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"A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us. To live is to be slowly born."

- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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In a single moment, Kurama understood everything.

Al the pieces of the puzzle became clear, uncovered in one move by their true adversary and he finally saw the depths of planning he had gone through to accomplish such a complicated web of lies and deceptions, culminating in one final move that had caught them all by surprise. Their sheer blindness was so utterly complete that he could hardly believe that this had happened to them.

Yet there was a logic to it as well.

There was no telling whether the nobleman he had impersonated actually existed at some point or whether he was a construction of Naraku. There was no telling if the countenance he now revealed to his enemies for the first time was his actual face or a stolen image of some poor mortal that had been devoured by the foul entity. But in front of them stood the creature that had deceived Kagome and all of Reikai for years – _years – _and who still hadn't completely shed its disguise.

Though his hair was no longer neatly tied back, the one who had called himself Kagewaki Hitomi stood there dressed in rich clothing fit for a nobleman of the Sengoku Jidai, save for the strange appendages that seemed to be growing from his back, resembling tails of dragons and tentacles at once. One of them was now firmly lodged in Kagome's abdomen, piercing the priestess's entire body in a sickening way. Blood, or the illusion of it, as it was hard to tell with reigen bodies, coloured her haori in a sickening shade of red.

The sharpness of the pain was almost unprecedented. Only once before had such a thing happened – and back then, she had been given the small mercy of unconsciousness after a few excruciating seconds. Besides, back then, she had been broken because of more worrisome matters than physical pain. But this time, the sensation hit Kagome full-force, with unrivalled intensity. Her feet were lifted from the ground and she felt the deep wound in her belly widen slightly, thanks to her weigh being pulled down while the force of the tentacle that had pierced her was lifting her up.

The Shikon no Tama had somehow fused with the body of the priestess, perhaps only temporarily, to fulfil their wish, but it was part of her nonetheless and so unable to shield her. And in the midst of her raging emotions, the purity of it must have been reduced to a degree that was tolerable for someone not of full demonic blood, as Naraku was. Had it not been their mutual enemy that had come up with the scheme, Kurama might have congratulated him.

But the sight of Kagome in pain that only he could likely imagine was indescribable. In one moment, he saw Naraku painted in the colours of freshly spilled blood before regaining his wits.

"KAGOME!" It wasn't even clear which of them had screamed her name, but the moment was filled with horror for all of them.

The moment when the priestess was impaled and lifted from the ground…

It was the moment when all confusion from the team disappeared – and, almost as one, they lunged at Naraku, calling forth their respective weapons intended for close combat. All save Kuwabara's spirit sword were repelled immediately; the spirit sword was the only one not to bounce off the purplish barrier around the body of their enemy, but rather, it made impact and caused energetic sparks to fly off its edges, along with a strong sound of sizzling and cracking. However, try as he might, Kuwabara could do no more than that.

A pinkish barrier had appeared around Naraku and the body of Kagome, which had been pulled back towards the source of the tentacle. It was like the power Kagome often employed to repel demonic attacks. The priestess appeared conscious still, despite the wound that was to be mortal, and Kurama deduced that it was likely because the tentacle itself was still within the wound. However, as soon as it would be removed…

Kagome was drawing in ragged breaths. In vain, she struggled to send her power through the connected wound and thus purify the demon. Something was stopping her, like a glass wall between her and her power, clear as air but impenetrable.

She couldn't reach her own power. Kurama saw it as well. It was as he had thought – the jewel was reacting to her own emotions and perhaps the darkness within it was trying to stop her from destroying its path to freedom, that being Naraku.

Powerful was the Jewel of Four Souls and in this moment, it didn't help them one bit, because it overpowered even its guardian, the only one on the inner side of the barrier.

But it didn't seem as though they were giving up yet, even though the four fighters had grouped together a bit further away from the barrier.

Naraku looked satisfied upon seeing the priestess retch slightly, blood tickling out of her mouth; his face was eerie but beautiful as always, and save for the odd appendage his arm had morphed into, still appeared almost entirely normal. He had been somewhat forced into taking rapid action upon hearing that the priestess intended to use the jewel at last, but it seemed that he had made the right choice. After all, it seemed that the jewel itself was cooperating with his intentions and as for Kagome's potential allies… they wouldn't have stood a chance even against a less well-planned assault. Especially in their depleted state. They were no threat.

And the power of the priestess was fading into darkness with each passing moment.

"You finally understand, Kagome." His voice was almost lazy, almost a whisper, almost mocking, but entirely malevolent. "You cannot kill me. You no longer have the power. You never could hurt those you trusted. Do you see how the Shikon no Tama objects to being used for foolishness?"

"Hey, Squidhead!" Yusuke yelled at their newly revealed adversary. Kagome was incapable of a coherent reply anyway and the energetic vibrations around Kurama just upon seeing the horrible scene were certainly intimidating. "It's bad manners not to open doors for polite knockers!" With a great burst of light, a shot of the spirit gun made impact with the barrier, the two energies struggling against one another for several seconds until an explosion came.

The barrier remained intact.

At least it made Naraku acknowledge the former Team Urameshi, though whether it was for good or ill was questionable. "It seems that your destruction won't be as glorious as I originally planned. I'm rather disappointed by your choice of companions. At least the houshi and the taijiya were somewhat capable. These lowlifes think themselves mighty for a victory over that trash."

"All right, _now_ he's pissed me off!" Yusuke grunted and rolled up his sleeves. They had been so close to having a chance at correcting that horrible mistake… atoning for his lateness… hearing Grandma yell at him once more and then try to kick her back into her grave, only to get his own backside kicked spectacularly, power transfer or not – she was capable of doing it, he was sure of it. "Barrier or no, he's going down!"

But before the Spirit Detective could charge at his quarry, he was stopped by Kurama's outstretched arm. Yusuke gave the fox demon a half-angry, half-curious glance. The barely controlled rage that had been boiling like a volcano was nowhere in sight; rather, it now felt like having ice slowly crawl over his skin and Kurama wasn't even looking at him. Some part of him was actually considering feeling fear at seeing that expression.

"Naraku! You know that killing her is useless! What can you hope to gain from doing so?" Instead of being voiced with concern, it was not a demand for the priestess's release; the question was only what it was – a demand for the truth.

Momentarily, Naraku's eyes moved to Kurama, the only member of the team he seemed to regard even worthy of acknowledging.

"The stupidity of your questions shows how much you have diminished in your current form, Kurama." Years ago, he had mocked the fox demon with a much more respectful form of address, but whether this change was a sign of cockiness or superiority was irrelevant. Somewhere not too far away, Hiei's eyes narrowed slightly. "Her death means her defeat; and surely you understand well what that will mean. Questions… uprisings…" he added as clarification, or simply to rub salt in the wound. "And even Reikai will eventually disregard a broken sword. A useless tool."

To prove that point, almost, the tentacle seemed to twist in Kagome's wound. The priestess couldn't move an inch, knowing that any attempt at movement would only deepen the wound and strengthen the pain.

"You-!" the word rushed out with another gush of blood from her mouth. Her insides must have been pierced worse than imaginable, if the effects were this far-reaching. Her lips were crimson. "Why…?"

Her captor gave her a half-mocking, half-indulgent smile. "As always, the unimportant facts interest you the most. The how is more important. But seeing you understand just how you have lost is worth the cost of explaining it. I will tell you what you have wanted to know years ago. The story begins centuries ago, with your death." More blood. Yet everyone listened, though horrified or unnerved. Or simply waiting to try and breach the barrier. "At that moment, your energy rushed out of your body, but the impact of it was too strong and would have obliterated your soul… but thanks to the presence of the Shikon no Tama, or perhaps your own self-preservation instinct, your soul allowed itself to be torn apart to prevent destruction."

Everyone who heard that understood well that that wasn't something common or natural, even though they didn't understand what it had to do with this. For the time being, they refrained from attacking – everyone had a part of the explanation they were waiting for.

And Kagome could yet be saved.

"The soul was in the process of reconstructing itself, but most of it was transported to Reikai before the process could be completed. So the splinter of soul that remained in Ningenkai was forced to enter another body and become part of a living being. Though subconscious, it became a dominant element, which manifested itself as mirrored appearance." Kagome and Kurama, who had realized who he was talking about, froze almost simultaneously. And Naraku watched that with obvious satisfaction. "That being was Kikyo."

It was questionable whether Kagome's skin was losing colour because of loss of blood or because of the terror of comprehension. Hiei, who was watching Kurama for the moment, noticed easily that the fox demon was struggling not to even glance at the priestess, for fear of being affected by the sight. Yusuke, for his part, couldn't really understand that about Kurama. If it were Keiko… his hands curled into tight fists even at that very thought. Obviously Kurama cared about Kagome and yet he was more intent on listening to some irrelevant history than on saving her.

"She possessed traces of your power and became a priestess, encountered InuYasha and sealed her fate by that weakness." Naraku continued, without wavering in his calm narrative. "And the particle of soul strove to return to its original source again, going as far as to escape the proper soul burial."

So that was why there wasn't any record of Kikyo's existence in the records of Reikai and why no one recognized the name. As if she had never existed. But it still didn't explain…

"All the negative emotions from the soul merged back with your own, amplifying your own, allowing the darker part of the Shikon no Tama to gain more power and begin to start suppressing your own effectively." Kagome spluttered a bit more blood, but it certainly looked that she was more frightened of what Naraku was beginning to say than the pain. "But as you decided to use the jewel for such foolish ends, it extended its power to seal off yours completely."

For the first time, even Kurama looked at least disturbed by the situation.

How Kagome was even able to summon the will to move her limbs, no one present could figure out, though Yusuke, who had his own experiences with all levels of pain attributed it to anger, fear or severe masochism. In any case, Naraku watched with some amusement as the priestess, who had been so stupidly confident in her own power that she hadn't bothered to bring her full weaponry, attempted to create her own barrier, which would destroy the tentacle holding her. It wouldn't have been a smart move even if it had worked; after all, the tentacle was the only thing stopping her from bleeding to death.

Her eyes were shut tight from the pain and concentration, but not even a spark of power appeared. A moment later, she gave a muffed cry of pain, unable to do anything more. Giving Naraku her best glare was the best she could do at the moment.

"Inu…Yasha… were is he?" she said with difficulty. Her strength was fleeing faster than a rat abandoning ship.

That Naraku laughed in the rich and melodic voice she had learned to trust made her furious inside. Youko had been so utterly _right_ in his suspicions regarding a mole in Reikai… so much that neither of them could have predicted how elaborate the set-up truly was.

For fifteen years, she had believed her nemesis was actually her ally and had trusted him with everything important to her. How much of what he had told her was true? Certainly not all could be lies, because the facts matched up with the Reikai records. But nevertheless, each word had been another string of the web of a cunning spider, trapping a helpless fly. Onigumo; ogre-spider. The name suited him more than anyone would ever know.

"InuYasha? I was surprised myself that he had managed to flee. I was searching for him for my own reasons. I have no further use for the hanyou, you see… not now when you have been checkmated without having to rely on that fool's insanity again. But by now, I would suppose Byakuya has taken care of him." Naraku pondered gleefully. "He is much more useful than dear Kagura was, I believe. Perfected."

Kurama heard that – another detachment. That wasn't good. If they were to fight, they would have to split up, and…

There was a blast above them and the formerly tranquil atmosphere vanished. Then, moments later, a man's body plummeted to the ground, destroyed in a blaze of energy that followed him. A man who had been a demon, one that smelled of Naraku. He was dead before he knew it, vanishing in a swirl of energy. A small origami fell on the spot where his corpse had been.

It was InuYasha.

The hanyou was dressed in those exact same clothes he had worn years ago and nothing about his appearance seemed to have changed. His long white hair swayed somewhat in the light wind, but his red eyes focused on Naraku, blazing with shades of hatred, before recognizing the petite figure that served as an appendage on Naraku's tentacle. Despair and agony flashed in one brilliant light for a moment, and then it was gone, replaced by rage that would made any creature see in the shades of blood.

Without thinking, the hanyou let out a howl of rage that was as bestial as his mood, launching himself at his enemy, only to be repelled by the barrier. He began to hack at it frantically, but, seeing that his claws had no effect, he tried a different strategy. The sword Tetsusaiga still hung at his hip. For the first time, something akin to fear appeared momentarily on Naraku's face.

When the fang-like blade hit the shimmering wall of energy, there was a clear shot of light and everyone shielded their eyes. The barrier broke in a searing blast; InuYasha wasted not another minute and proceeded to hack away at the tentacles holding Kagome in place. Naraku dodged the second blow, but the third struck, severing one tentacle cleanly. Once on the ground, it withered away cleanly.

But the sudden movement didn't do well for the priestess. She was coughing up blood and yet frantically trying to think up some means of getting out of this situation.

The members of the former Team Urameshi were hesitant to attack just yet. They understood that this creature attacking Naraku was Kagome's quarry, the one she had come to find here in Ningenkai. Why he was attacking Naraku, only Kurama knew, but that was hardly relevant. What mattered was that his fighting style was sufficiently chaotic to prevent them from joining in unless they cared for a blast themselves. Besides, the sheer rage at seeing Kagome injured seemed to pump the hanyou's strength up to astronomical levels.

The only thing that he seemed to care about was not injuring Kagome in the process, something that was clearly proving difficult and frightening him.

In Kagome's mind, there was a raging storm.

She was sliding on the border between consciousness and that beyond, for a moment seeing things she believed to be hallucinations. Naraku had been wrong; the soul of Kikyo hadn't returned to her. Instead, it had moved into the jewel, an alien presence in the gem, shielding it with what light it still possessed. She was a great battle, a demon – or was it hundreds, thousands? – against a familiar figure… one that she hadn't seen in centuries.

Yet there was no mistaking that stance, that strength…

That face…

Even when overpowered by darkness, Midoriko shone brightly, the warrior Kagome could never be, or so she thought. And from somewhere behind her, the twang of a bow followed the whoosh of an arrow pulsing with energy that went for the demon, but couldn't entirely destroy it, no matter how hard it tried.

From behind the ancient priestess, another figure surfaced, slimmer, shorter, but made of the same stuff as the one leading her. An image of what Kagome had been, but her brown eyes were more slanted, filled with a deep sorrow and even greater determination. The eyes of a vengeful ghost, returned to haunt the living for the wrongs they had caused her.

Kikyo raised her weapon once more, not even flinching when the impact of light hit the shadowy mass, ready to attack again.

Kagome saw them both in front of her, through the eyes of the demon at one point, but then as a casual observer would.

Something was gripping at her heart, like a cage sealing itself.

She heard Naraku's voice above the roar of the demon within her.

"InuYasha, the last of your sanity has obviously left you." he said, parrying another strike of the Tetsusaiga with his tentacles. "You would fight for an echo of this woman when you do not even know _what_ she is."

But in InuYasha's mind, his love for Kikyo was powerful enough to overpower even madness. It was for Kikyo that he had sacrificed all he was, including his sanity when she had been taken from him and only for Kikyo could he exist still. She was all that mattered in his simplified and twisted view. He didn't even hear Naraku's words, much less try to interpret them.

"Naraku, you bastard! Let… Kikyo… GO!"

Had any of the people present known the history behind the sword InuYasha wielded and the names of its techniques, which now only Sesshomaru had records of in his distant estate, they would have known that the hanyou had begun to utilize the stronger attacks of Tetsusaiga.

The greatest wonder was that the feeling was so great that it could magnify his strength enough to push back even the strongest attacks of his opponent. Seeing _Kikyo_ suffering brought him clarity, focus on a goal... and overpowering rage.

"Wow, coherent speech." Yusuke said from somewhere not too far off.

"Can't see a damned thing!" Kuwabara noted as he shielded his eyes when the Wind Scar hit its target in claw-like swipes, missing Kagome very narrowly. Naraku was beginning to realize the advantages of using her as a human shield, ruining some of the more precise attempts to attack made by InuYasha.

"I say we go in there and waste the bastard for this!" Yusuke suggested, cracking his knuckles a bit.

"Don't be a fool."

"You're such a jerk, Hiei! Can't you see Kagome-chan's and that Inu guy are in trouble?!"

The fire apparition didn't even deem Kuwabara worthy of a glare this time, observing the battle in front of them with an impassive but slightly unnerved expression. "If what the half-breed spoke is true, then should the priestess die, her spirit energy will be released in one blast. And judging by her wounds, that shouldn't take much time."

"So? What'll that do?"

"To you, likely nothing." Kurama answered when Hiei simply scoffed at the human boy's cluelessness. "To Hiei and myself, however, the consequences would be dire. You don't understand the extent of Kagome's powers, being human. But when a demon is purified, it doesn't simply mean death. Her power can erase the very existence of a demonic soul."

"I thought Squidhead didn't want to be human, not demon." Yusuke noted in a rare non-violent moment of logic.

Kurama wondered that too. He didn't believe Naraku's words about a spiritual defeat of Reikai. There was some kind of undercurrent to his thoughts and it had something to do with the jewel. But if he wanted to take it, why try in the one moment when Kagome's power had reached its peak thanks to her temporary fusion with the jewel itself? It made no sense and yet…

Wait…

He watched as InuYasha shot another furious attack at his enemy, one of the wind blades grazing the cheek of the barely conscious Kagome. He could sense the life leaving her and saw that more tentacles had wrapped themselves around her wrists and ankles to better manipulate her, like a rag doll.

Rage. Hatred. Despair.

Kagome's face, though partly covered with sweat-drenched hair, was feverish, but a malevolent gleam had settled in her eyes that likely had nothing to do with her own mood. Light was coming from the spot on her torso where her heart should be, where the jewel likely was. But it wasn't a searing beam of energy as he would have hoped…

Kurama understood and immediately wished he didn't.

"He's trying to draw out the demonic part of the jewel!" Several pairs of eyes were upon him at once. "The jewel is made of the souls of a demon and a priestess of great power. There is a constant battle within it, so it can be used for either good or evil. But now that the jewel is _inside_ of Kagome, if the demonic part prevails, it could force its way into her body and take over…yet possibly retain her powers."

"Please tell me you're joking." Kuwabara noted feebly, glancing at the spider-like form of Naraku not too far ahead. "We can't have Kagome-chan becoming a zombie!"

"Idiot!" Hiei barked out. "Take a good look at Naraku's body! It's a compilation of reject low-grade demons with a human core! If the miko becomes tainted like this, he'll absorb her into himself and take her powers for his own!"

"What?!" Yusuke yelled at no one in particular, glancing from one demon to the other for answers. Both of their faces were grim… and afraid.

"The demon will be strong enough to replace the human heart binding the demons into one." Kurama explained, his eyes never leaving the desperate struggle of InuYasha and Naraku. "And with Kagome's powers at his disposal, there will be nothing any of us can do."

"You mean he wants to eat her?!" Kuwabara yelped, panicky and afraid.

When put so bluntly, it was even more unsettling and frightening. "Her and the jewel."

"LIKE HELL HE WILL!"

A great blast of whirlwinds reflected Naraku's own attack at him, but a cloud of shouki arose, preventing the others from advancing. InuYasha cared not for himself. Kikyo was all that mattered.

Kagome could no longer discern illusion from reality. She had never imagined that she would die again, but death seemed inevitable. The demon Kikyo and Midoriko were battling had her in his grasp and not even the combined power of the two women seemed to be enough to make him relinquish his hold on her. Somewhere nearby, Naraku had her body, which was ready to give out, but her mind was in far more danger.

She didn't know what to do, but there was no other defence other than clearing her mind and focusing on something. She thought she had seen Kurama's red hair before the fog had engulfed them. Not once in her life had she supposed that the words youkai and tenshi (_a demon with the face of an angel_) would mingle into synonyms in her mind.

Her last thought would be of him, she was determined to see to that, at least.

But she was also sad, knowing that InuYasha wouldn't be able to rescue Kikyo; the one who was her and yet wasn't, who was a guiding force from her dreams.

Of love, the greatest tragedies were spawned.

Love… love…

Love had begun this. But that would mean that…

The power of the jewel was resonating within her, overpowering her, but Kikyo and Midoriko were still defending her sanity. They spoke no words, but she knew that they were with her. Two others who had suffered because of the love spawned in the heart of a selfish man.

And again, she felt pity, because she wouldn't be able to make good on her promise to Yusuke and his friends. If Genkai was to be resurrected, it wouldn't be by her hand.

The battle, the true fight in front of her, was becoming clearer in front of her eyes while Kikyo and Midoriko became a background. Love.

"Nara…ku…" she rasped, finding her voice at last as it was struggling to flee from her.

The half-demon, who had repelled InuYasha's latest attack in a spectacular fashion, heard her and brought her almost dead body to where his head and human-like torso was, a delighted smile of malice on his face.

"Make your last words count, Kagome… I wish to remember them… I wasn't able to get any worthwhile statements from Kikyo, you see… "

"Oni…gumo…" she whispered, "I wish…" Naraku's face froze for a moment. But she didn't seem to be able to continue, so he chuckled.

"That repulsive name cannot reach its bearer. But don't fret if you cannot speak. We are about to become very intimate, you and I."

"I wish… that you'd love Kikyo… as he did… with all of your... soul…"

The hanyou would have laughed, but the sound froze on his lips before ever leaving them. Kagome was glowing with an otherworldly light, the jewel within her pulsing. She thought of Kurama and the unfairness of having to leave now, when things were looking up, and her feelings gave her strength. It was the very same strength that empowered Midoriko and Kikyo, who pressed the attack and distracted the dark heart of the jewel sufficiently to give her a chance to speak.

The jewel answered her call.

If Naraku let out a scream, it turned into a roar as he tried to cast her husk away from him, but their bodies were connected too much and the power soared from her to him. And in a moment, the heart of Onigumo awakened within him, emerging from the abyss he had cast it into consciously, but it didn't possess him and turn him into the man he had been in life. Only the emotion he had felt ever since the priestess of that accursed village had taken him in surfaced, like a lightning bolt that cut through a perfectly blue sky.

And beneath the primal lust of a raider, a bandit, a scoundrel, there was more than just a burning passion for a beautiful body. The makings of love resided there, spawned from the kindness he had been shown despite his nature, despite his hideousness, the moments when Kikyo had smiled, when she had held his hand and when she entered the murky cave, filling it with a light, like the sun rising.

He hated everything she stood for, this Shinto cleric, hated her selflessness, her willingness to sacrifice herself, her endless patience… but he yearned for her beyond the limits of sanity, for her soft voice, her demure beauty, her gentle touch. Even knowing that she would despise him once he revealed all he was to her, he was willing to kidnap her and her treasure, where before, he had only sought her death.

For her, he would sell his soul. He didn't dare hope for having this feeling returned – but he wasn't selfless, thus couldn't simply love her from afar. He would _have_ her with him, willingly or not. And perhaps one day… one day, she would become used to him and the dreadful pity would vanish from her compassionate eyes.

He had killed her once. He didn't know the reason why. Something simply compelled him to do so, but his rage hadn't been bestial enough to make him want her death. That of her lover, certainly, but she mustn't be harmed…

And now he saw her again, resurrected, as beautiful and pure as she had been on her funeral pyre. Yet her eyes were fiery, otherworldly blue like that of a demon… and shone with victory and pain. And… could it be…?

Her lips were rouged, but not with paint. It was blood.

Again, he was killing her. He could _feel_ the life leaving her. And Naraku fought the power of the jewel, which was killing him in the vilest way possible. It was resurrecting everything he loathed about the creature that had created him, imprinting it into his own consciousness. The differences between Kagome and Kikyo blurred. And he, of all people, knew best that they were practically one and the same.

The newly awakened feeling within him recoiled with horror at what he was doing. He couldn't do such a thing…not again…not to her…not if his sanity was to remain! And this time, she would not _choose_ death…

For the first time in his existence, he felt _love_ for the one creature that could destroy him and he hated it as he hated her this fatal blow she had delivered.

Because the wish was pure; she was selflessly giving something to him, correcting a wrong that had created a monster and bringing peace to a lost soul.

InuYasha struck, roaring Kikyo's name. The very word seemed to bring Naraku agony.

The jewel, upon completing its mission in the material world, tried to cling into existence. The demon within it roared, but the two priestesses, shaped by the soul within it and strengthened by Kagome, were gaining the upper hand. Naraku's body, hit by the strongest attack yet, began to collapse. And Kagome, losing control over the power within her, was forced to release it, the entire energy of the jewel raging forth, the demon beaten down by its counterpart.

Yusuke's team took cover when they saw the blinding streams of light begin to dig holes through the mass of shouki. A great energy was spewing from a single centre; all of them could feel it. It seemed to take hours, but then again, like an explosion, it vanished as quickly as it came; in a flash.

And then, there was silence and smoke… and death.


	41. Met and parted

Sorry for the wait, but college is a killer!

People, this is the last chapter – or second last, depending on how the epilogue will shape up. I honestly don't know right now. I had an exam today and studied long into the night, so I'm a little sugar-high now, due to the large doses of coke I was forced to consume to survive. Believe it or not, coffee usually makes me sleepy. Weird, huh?

Anyway, I'm making progress with my schoolwork, but my scanner went boinkers, so I can't post my newest KagKur for a competition! Oh, the pain! I gotta get it fixed soon.

I have high hopes to restart with my Japanese once my exams are over and I'm likely going to be living in London for a few weeks during the summer – should I go? It's a study trip, really, but my English doesn't need much perfecting, I think, other than broadening my vocabulary. I intend to study fulltime in London once I finish my current BA and hope to live there some day. I love the city, really. Good thing the EU enables lower fees for us students, ne? Though it's still outrageously high a sum.

Anyway, this chapter is almost Kagome-less, which surprised even me. And no worries, I didn't pull a Rumiko on you people – Naraku is truly finished this time.

Heh, scared some of you, didn't I?

X X X

**Met and parted**

X X X X X

"Give light and the darkness will disappear of itself."

- Desiderius Erasmus

X X X X X

The light was blinding.

It seemed to freeze time and space, the flash of something good, something pure, with the hint of a scream of the reflection of it being destroyed. The four aspects of the Shikon no Tama, released into the world, eradicated the demonic heart of the jewel, leaving only that which had once been the core of Midoriko behind. Everyone within several miles had to see the blast, the moment when the jewel was finally dispersed.

The energy faded; it didn't vanish. It was as if a great power was released into the world, a great goodness that would never once more be whole, but which would forever linger.

Only one person didn't see it, though being the centre of it all.

Kagome died before the jewel could fully release its light, her purity a catalyst for the explosion. The roar that had accompanied the purification, the call of a thousand demons, merged into one, now purified, faded. Nothing remained of them, only a scrap of pulsing flesh, faintly reminiscent of a human heart, which stopped beating the moment Kagome's life ended.

Things had come full circle at long last; just as Naraku, the creature created by his human counterpart, was destroyed, so was Kikyo gone from existence, along with the remains of Midoriko's soul.

When it was safe to look again, only one heartbeat remained in the centre of the explosion, belonging to InuYasha, whose name was no longer as accurate. The purity that had destroyed Naraku had affected him as well; all marks of his demonic heritage were gone, leaving behind his reflection in human form, dark-haired, black-eyed and alive but wounded. The veil of madness had been lifted from his eyes as well, though he had been aware of his actions when attempting to save the one he thought was Kikyo.

Finally seeing with his own eyes and not with those of the demon, he saw the one who was and wasn't Kikyo, lying on the ground some meters away from him. All the colour had been bled from her skin; she was as pale as her robes, the circle of blood surrounding her redder than her hakama. Sprawled on her back, the hole in her abdomen was clearly visible; all her inner organs had been destroyed, save for the heart and lungs. But the heart had long-since stopped beating and the lungs drew no further air.

He refused to believe it. His nose was only human now, after all… it couldn't be right!

"Kikyo! Kikyo... are you all right?" Scooping her up in his arms, he didn't care about the blood or the scent of death. Human senses couldn't be trusted. He couldn't lose her a second time! They were safe, they were free…"Naraku's finally gone, that's all that matters… Kikyo… stay with me, Kikyo! You'll be okay, you gotta be…"

"KAGOME!" a child's voice cried out from somewhere not too far away.

InuYasha didn't raise his head. He felt the coldness of her flesh, the lack of any movement. No pulse. No breathing. Gone.

Forever.

In the meantime, another group was desperately trying to make its way towards the site of purification, but Shippo and Kirara were the fastest. They had sensed that something was wrong, but that Kagome was in grave danger had never occurred to either of them. They were to protect her while Sango and Miroku were away! She couldn't… she couldn't be…

But Shippo stubbornly refused to believe it. He was forced to acknowledge it only when they reached Yusuke's group and he saw the hard look on Kurama's face.

"Hey, what's he doing with that sword?" Kuwabara interrupted the stunned silence that was engulfing them, pointing towards InuYasha.

The former hanyou had never looked so utterly defeated. Kurama had an idea as to what he intended to do, but didn't want to interrupt it. It was better that way. He had suffered for far longer than he should have and he would never understand who Kagome actually was. InuYasha deserved peace at long last, though it was a tragic end to his story.

He had lost all will to live. The mighty demon fang that had been his sword was now a rusty old katana, but even so, it was capable of piercing flesh. Painful as it may be.

It was the first and hopefully last time they were forced to witness seppuku.

"You really had to ask, didn't you, moron?" Hiei muttered darkly as the human pierced his own body without hesitation, falling down next to his doomed love, dead within a few moments, still holding her close.

"Who cares about the insane guy?!" Yusuke noted with his usual sense of tact. There was something very unsettling about seeing the death of another team-mate so quickly and he realized that he didn't _want_ to see it. Besides, she had to be alive. After all the demons Kagome had destroyed single-handedly, there was no was in hell that such a measly little injury could kill her. "Kurama, please tell me you know how to heal that…"

The fox demon was looking at the site with grim eyes. What was going on in his mind, no one could tell, but judging by his expression, his thoughts had to be dark. Clearly, even he hadn't anticipated the possibility of Kagome dying, let alone in such a manner. But he was far from an idealist about the matter. Even if he had the strength, there was no time for it. Physical expressions weren't enough to convey his suffering.

Nearby, Shippo had crawled onto Kuwabara's shoulder for a better view, but it was clear that he didn't deceive himself any longer. He was struggling to fight back tears.

"Yusuke… there isn't anything left to heal… the injuries…"

"SHE ISN'T DEAD! WE ALL GOT OUTTA THIS ALIVE, INCLUDING HER!"

"Actually, that isn't technically correct." Koenma seemed to appear out of nowhere behind his Spirit Detective. It wasn't entirely that way, of course – he, Botan and George the Ogre had seen the signs of battle and jogged out of the hotel instantly, though when Yusuke was yelling so much, their arrival was easy to overhear.

"Koenma-sir! Next time, wait up for us!" George called, panting when he finally caught up with the rest. Botan was cheating, in his opinion, because she had that oar of hers and didn't have to run.

"Just because you insist on repeatedly tripping over your own feat doesn't mean everyone else does, ogre." the prince of Reikai said flatly, not at all sorry, apparently.

"Whaddaya mean, "not technically correct"? She's your agent, like me, and if a guy like me can get back to life just 'cause I acted unpredictably for once, she can too!" Yusuke interjected before George could reply in anything more than a whimper of exhaustion.

"That's not exactly the point of it." Botan noted unhelpfully.

"Then what is?!"

"You might want to consider taking a closer look." Koenma said instead of bothering to waste his breath on explaining something Yusuke would forget within a few minutes.

InuYasha's body remained as it was, motionless, but the corpse of the priestess he had been holding seemed almost as if it was swept up in a slight breeze that didn't touch anything besides her. It was a graceful motion, almost like the sand being blown away from the beach; in one moment, she was there, corporeal, physical. In another, she seemed to be made of mist, light and colour that was there yet wasn't… she was a soul, a spirit, drifting away into nothingness, until she was pure energy that was swept away by the wind.

"What the-?!" Kuwabara gave a start, unwillingly shaking a very disgruntled Shippo off his shoulder. Had the kit not been so depressed, he would have been in for an explosion.

"Okay, now that's creepy." Yusuke judged the situation. "And it didn't happen when I died, that's for sure."

"That would be because of the minor fact that you are human, whereas the miko isn't." Hiei's usage of the present tense went unnoticed – most people were simply astonished that the fire apparition had deigned it worthy of making an effort to speak, let alone explain something.

"But she _looked_ human to me!"

"The same thing could be said of Botan-san, Koenma, Hiei and myself, Kuwabara-kun." Kurama noted logically, though it didn't seem to completely convince the human boy.

"Well, I'm not that sure about three-eyes, but okay… but wait, Kagome-chan wasn't a demon!"

"Kagome _used _to be human, once." Koenma clarified hastily, before Kuwabara would have the chance to build up steam. "When a reigen's summoned physical body dies, their spirit survives and moves on to Reikai, where the circumstances of their death are investigated. Of course, I think no one actually suspected that such a thing might ever happen to Kagome…" he said, rather lamely.

"After all those centuries, I guess we just sort of assumed she was invincible." Botan quipped sadly.

"Once again, the idiocy of Reikai has been brought to new levels."

Aside from Kuwabara, who made use of his – in everyone's opinion somewhat lame – arsenal of insults, everyone ignored Hiei.

"She's gonna be all right then?" Yusuke asked, still frowning.

"I… don't know." It was a difficult admission for Koenma, especially when in front of so many people. "Her soul will be called back to Reikai, but this was no ordinary death. I think she made a wish on the jewel and gave up on her life force a moment later. Her power was released because of her physical death, purifying both of the demons near her. I'm not sure it was a good thing, though, but it was what she likely planned."

"You don't think the jewel… damaged her soul in any way?" Botan asked rather edgily. Nothing of the sort had happened before, so there was no telling at all what kind of effect this might have. Kagome had been the guardian of the jewel for as long as anyone could remember.

"Well, since she absorbed it in such a way, I really cannot say. I hope not. Actually, I'm more concerned about what might happen on the way to Reikai."

"Whaddaya mean?" Yusuke asked.

Koenma frowned deeply, looking mature in great contrast with the little blue pacifier he was chewing on fervently to keep his nerves in check.

"Well… I highly doubt that Kagome would resist returning, but the purification has freed, hm, other human souls that both cared deeply for an aspect of her, you might say. My theory is that Kikyo was the dutiful aspect of her soul and that upon her death, she didn't believe she would need to be a priestess any longer, so she subconsciously chose that part of her to separate. Of course, that's just a theory. I guess we'll never know."

"Guys, if you don't mind, I'd go check on her." Botan noted, masking her concern behind cheerfulness. She had never been the patient type. Her oar rematerialized in her outstretched hand and she quickly mounted it, ready to take off. "I'll be there in a jiffy. Congratulations again on the victory, everyone! I'll send word when I know what has happened, Kurama-kun, don't worry!"

"I'll go with you, Botan!" Shippo said quickly, jumping atop the end of the oar. He, too, was anxious to see Kagome again, and how she had reached Reikai. Hopefully, all would be well, as it had been the last time something like this had happened.

"Okay, then. Hold on tight!"

"Come on, Kirara!" The kitsune motioned to his fellow demon, whom Kuwabara forgot to pounce. In a flash of fire, the normally harmless kitty transformed into a ferocious tiger-like demon, floating behind the oar easily.

"Well, I suppose you all have a ship to catch. And I have a pile of paperwork to get back to, which I'm certainly not looking forward to due to its doubtlessly intimidating proportions. Hopefully, everyone will be too caught up in being concerned about this to remember that. I just hope Dad doesn't come back early… if he found out…" Koenma noted, descending into furious muttering.

In the end, he got spankings for the whole situation nonetheless.

X X X X X

The tournament was finished at last, but it seemed an age away when Kurama arrived in Reikai some time later.

Apparently, Kagome had managed to get back safe and her condition was stabilized, though what condition it might be he didn't dare guess. Koenma welcomed him personally when he arrived, with Botan in tow, informing him that he wouldn't be Kagome's only visitor that day.

They had brought her into her own chamber, which was appreciated, so it seemed only as though she was very sick when lying on the bed, slowly healing.

Kagome seemed to be surrounded with a light, but it was a strangely colourless glow. It was just… there, if such a thing might be described. It was more felt than seen, but she was like a princess in her coffin otherwise; immobile, immaculate, peaceful. Nothing seemed to be able to disturb her sleep. The core of her spirit seemed to be pulsing. It wasn't a question of whether she was alive or death; it was more as if her spirit was in-between non-existence and the material world. She was there… and yet she wasn't.

Two people were nearby; the demon slayer, Sango, dressed very differently from her usual exterminator attire in a simple pink and green yukata, her hair down from her high ponytail, her soft features concerned and the monk – or former monk, in this case – though he was still dressed in the customary attire of the Buddhist priests, likely having become used to it and proficient with the traditional staff, even if his innate powers were likely dispersed due to his marriage. Despite the deceptive air of concern, both of them were quite deadly, these two agents of Reikai, and had obviously flown here to their friend with the speed of light.

"We came as quickly as we could. Koenma-sama." The slayer rose from her chair at her friend's side, offering a polite nod. Her eyes widened slightly when they rested on Kurama, but it was more wariness than surprise. "And is that…?"

"Kurama will do, Sango-san." the fox demon said softly, bowing his head cordially. Those were the same words he had used so long ago, though judging by her expression, she had remembered them.

She certainly looked at him very curiously, as if not believing his words for a moment.

"It really, is you, isn't it?" she said finally. Studying him had always been difficult. "It's not easy to tell, but… your bearing is the same."

"We're honoured to make your acquaintance, Kurama-san." the monk noted politely before he could think of a way to react to that remark, also giving a polite half-bow. "Well, I am; my Sango has had the pleasure already, I believe."

"The pleasure is all mine." Kurama wondered if he ought to be surprised that people who had been almost killed by Naraku when the hanyou had stolen his former form were greeting him like an old acquaintance they had simply lost contact with. "I have heard a great deal about you both, whether you know it or not. Kagome holds you in deep respect."

"She has been less forthcoming regarding information about you, but I believe that is understandable, considering the situation." Miroku noted, giving only the slightest smile.

"You need not be suspicious of my intentions this time, Sango-san." Kurama noted when he caught the slayer still studying him, as she perhaps would a prospective target. It was somewhat unnerving. "I would not hurt her."

"I know." Surprisingly, she nodded easily, almost as if sensing that there was no danger, or that it had passed. She seemed calmer for it. "Your eyes have… changed. I don't know how to describe it, but I'm guessing it's Kagome-chan's doing. She has a positive effect on everyone… especially those who don't see anything good in themselves. She brings it out somehow."

Kurama didn't really know how to answer that. "How is she?" he asked instead, glancing at the comatose priestess. She made no motion or change.

"Not entirely well." Miroku said, with a hint of helplessness. Clearly, the situation was frustrating him. "I cannot tell for certain, but the purification… hurt her. Perhaps she is recovering from the extreme power-loss, but I doubt it. Most likely, her spirit hasn't been able to deal with the fracture that was now so suddenly healed. Her soul is… complete, now, in a way. The parts that have been broken away centuries ago are back. It will take some time until her soul can come to terms with that new unity."

"So, then, the pieces that had been that other miko were back where they should be?"

The young ex-monk frowned, his face only for a moment reflecting but a taste of his true age. "I can only speculate. This is a one-of-a-kind phenomenon. It is like a lost limb that has miraculously been found and has begun to stitch itself back to the body, if you forgive me the metaphor. Until she can accept that aspect of her being returned to her, she may as well remain comatose."

"How long will that take, houshi-sama? We need Kagome-chan back!" It seemed that Sango still hadn't gotten used to her husband having shed the title of monk when their marriage had been consummated, though he made no move to correct her.

"She… she cannot stay like this forever, can she?" Koenma asked, worried for the first time. His father would kill him if that were the truth!

"No, I suppose not." Miroku sighed deeply. He was unused to not having any answers. This was truly a unique – and troubling – turn of events. "But I cannot give you a time limit. Spiritual wounds are often far more dire than the physical ones. We can do little more than wait."

"Even little is better than nothing." Kurama noted, seeing the Reikai prince almost shiver in reaction to that. "What can we do?"

"We can… speak to her." the former monk suggested, though he still seemed uncertain. "She might not be able to reply, but there is a chance that she would respond to voices she is familiar with. It will take time, however – the wound is fresh. But…"

"But?" Botan asked fearfully. There had been enough bad news for one day.

"There is no telling what this new knowledge will do to her. She might be somewhat different when she awakens. I haven't the slightest idea as to what Kikyo was like, but perhaps Kagome-sama will assume some personality traits that weren't so prominent before. Hopefully nothing too drastic, of course."

"So what happens now?" Botan finally asked the question that was on all their minds. "Word is bound to get around, but if Makai founds out that Kagome-chan is comatose, the order in that place will be even more fragile than a china set left in Kuwabara-kun's care!"

"We have to take things one at a time." Kurama noted when Koenma didn't seem to have an answer. "A multi-century-long task has just been completed. That was bound to unsettle the balance somewhat."

"Yes, and the Dark Tournament is over, with no casualties on our side!" the ferry girl chirped, trying to think positive despite what had happened. "That means that we should have at least a month of peace now."

"But the paperwork! I almost think this whole purify-the-jewel business wasn't worth it…" Koenma almost moaned, remembering every form he had to fill and stamp and record. The pile had grown into an alarming size during his absence and now that his father wanted him to see to it personally…

"It was." Sango said firmly, speaking up once more. "We have fulfilled our purpose." There was something finalizing in the way she said that, as if an era had ended.

Which was true.

"Ah, yes." Koenma realized that he had never quite accounted for this to happen. He had hoped, yes, but to actually see it happen… well, now that the mission was over, there was only one thing left to do, he thought. "I suppose I should talk to you both about that. And Shippo, too. Kurama, do you want to stay a while longer or shall I have Botan take you back home?"

The fox demon shook his head. "That will not be necessary. I'd like to stay with her for a moment, if I may."

"Of course. The rest of you, meet me in the audience chamber."

"Not the office?" Botan asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

Her boss gave her a hard look. "I assume you mean the office currently flooded with paperwork?"

"Point taken."

X X X X X

"We're back!" Shippo announced as he hopped back into the room where Kagome lay asleep. Kurama was still sitting there, holding her hand now. It hadn't brought any kind of change to her. The kit had been missing when the fox demon had entered, but it turned out he had been tending to Kirara – otherwise, he wouldn't have left Kagome for even a second.

"I can see that." Kurama smiled as Miroku and Sango entered as well, following their more chipper companion. "How was the meeting?"

"Predictable. We were offered the one thing we had to give up at the very beginning – the right to pass on, as any mortal creature." Miroku noted before closing the door behind them.

"Apparently, our several lifetimes of protecting Kagome-chan and doing good and moral…" At that point, the slayer gave her husband, who was clearly trying not to make it seem as if he was attempting to be the picture of pious innocence, a strange look. "G_enerally_ moral deeds, we have earned passage to the highest heaven… we refused."

"Why?" Kurama asked, genuinely surprised.

Miroku gave him a slightly mysterious smile. "You might be part-human now, Kurama-san, but I doubt you would understand us completely after only a few years spent as one. We have never mattered; Kagome-sama has always been the reason for our prolonged existence. We were her guardians, just as she has been the guardian of the sacred jewel."

"And when we were most needed, we failed." Sango added, "We cannot pass on with such regret and shame. And we cannot leave her alone; she is our dearest friend. Her choice will be the same, though probably for different reasons. Besides, we have time. Always."

"Yeah! We can handle things for Kagome while she rests!" Shippo jumped up into action. "She deserves it! Besides, what are the chances of another crisis so soon?"

The words of all of them proved to be true.

Shippo, most of all, cursed his "big fat mouth" for a few days during the following crisis, especially because it was obvious that without Kagome and her powers, they had little chance of sealing the tunnel to Makai from the other side. Weeks passed. A crisis was resolved; another followed.

Kagome's friends came to her at least once a day, speaking to her without any kind of reservations about their daily troubles, what was happening and how life was changing. And how they missed her and wished for her return, most of all.

InuYasha was buried with honours and his spirit allowed to enter heaven, though he wasn't allowed to know what exactly had been the game he had unwillingly participated in. In time, he reached peace and contentment, though he never entirely forgot Kikyo and what they had shared, what they had been robbed of. The story of their tragedy lived on, even when their names were long-forgotten; and though he made a point of making it clear that he had only come to retrieve what was his by right, Lord Sesshomaru came to the grave once, accompanied by Jaken and Rin, who still looked a young girl.

It was she who was able to grasp the sword; and only her. In the years to come, her guardian would silently acknowledge it as her weapon now, as he himself couldn't even touch it and Rin was still human enough to be able to wield it. It was, in a way, an acceptance into the family which the girl was forever thankful for.

If there was a single creature who never forgot InuYasha and thanked him always, though she had never met him, it was her.

A week passed, then a month… nothing changed.

The light continued to pulsate around Kagome, though where her mind was, no one could tell. Some believed her spirit was on its way to a higher plane. Some thought she was trapped between worlds. Others simply assumed that her life energy had been depleted on her attempt to fulfil her task and she needed to recover.

Kurama sat at her bedside at least once a week, but other duties came, and while he didn't consider them time as well spent, he had to make time for them as well. Still, he refused to believe that Naraku had won this one last victory against him without even trying to – claiming Kagome when they were almost able to be together after all those years.

But there was no obvious improvement even as time passed, as customs changed and even when, at long last, the Makai Tournament ended and many things came to a close.

By then, some even assumed that the priestess would never wake up – and though some welcomed that, no one dared assault Reikai now, with their silent, sleeping guardian.

Until, one day, Botan found the room empty.


	42. Turnabout

Well, it seems that everyone is in luck; there will be an epilogue, as I couldn't really think of a way to successfully cram everything that needs to be resolved into this chapter. It contains only one actual scene, but I think I did it justice. It's always hard to deal with wrapping everything up, but I promise things will be explained in the epilogue, which may or may not turn out longer than the usual chapter. I hope this turned out okay and not too corny, but I wanted it to have a bit of a parody-esque or at least humorous undertone.

Anyway, as usual, read and review, please, it means a lot.

X X X

**Turnabout**

X X X X X

"Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven."

- Tryon Edwards

X X X X X

It was a perfectly normal, mid-spring day at Meiou Academy. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and most students present felt the bliss of nirvana or enlightenment that only the lunch break could bring. There was absolutely nothing that could disturb the wonderful feeling of doing nothing and being perfectly content with it…

"Minamino-senpai!"

Yes, a _thoroughly_ normal day.

Kurama resisted the urge to cover his ears. The shrill calls of the human females of this day and age were highly annoying and possibly damaging for anyone of lesser constitution. Besides, one would think that after more than ten years since he had begun his formal education, they would get a hint that he had no interest in any of them. Unfortunately, the female brain, especially that of an adolescent human, clearly didn't work that way. Perhaps he had been somewhat idealistic to think that way.

Instead, as the cry came from about twenty meters behind him, he closed his eyes briefly and counted to ten mentally. It was actually a useful method for controlling his more human-like reactions. Of course, it did little from preventing the inevitable – that is to say, the arrival of the girl, precisely one beat after he managed to open his eyes and rearrange his expression to one of serene contentment.

All-in-all, there was hardly a more peaceful person in a large radius, despite the fact that he was also the one with the most violent and bloody past. But somehow, he doubted that even the centuries of life in Makai could have fully prepared him for the horror that were infatuated schoolgirls. The female demons in Makai were at least very clear with their intentions and could be understood; they wanted a strong mate and power.

What these little creatures that made ultrasonic sounds at the sight of anything they proclaimed "cute" could want was difficult to discern at times. It seemed that they existed solely to damage the hearing of innocent people that struck their fancy.

Unfortunately, these creatures possessed cunning far beyond their deceptively saccharine and somewhat empty-headed appearance. As if instinctively knowing that alone, they had no chance of success, they attacked in groups, cornering their prey. Usually, this was limited to one furiously blushing girl approaching him and thrusting out a letter to him before dashing away to the furious giggles of her pack mates. The letter contained one of the countless variations of a very lame declaration of love, usually accompanied by some childish scribble or the scent of a perfume that would have been much more likable on an older woman.

And pink. Always, there was pink.

The girl, one year his junior (hence the more formal form of address) was merely one of the many assailants he had faced over the years. But at this rate, Kurama was actually beginning to miss Makai.

Ever since the Demon World Tournament had ended, he had finally managed to but somewhat of a close to his long-term conflicts with the various residents of the demonic world. That also meant that he was able to stop fearing for the life of his new family – at least, more so than before – and, more importantly, return to school, which was causing him no end of trouble.

He wished, once again, that school was over already – a strange thought for the top student, certainly, but this mostly stemmed from the fact that he would be able to see Kagome then. Sleeping still, her soul recomposing itself…but he had time. He could wait. And wait he would, no matter how long it took, until she woke, so he could finally tell her that he loved her and wouldn't let his determination waver until she reciprocated that by saying it as well.

Until then, however…

Where were the good old days when he could simply kill someone when they annoyed him, regardless of gender?

Apparently, the female population of his school had been _most distressed_ due to his frequent absences in the past months. That seemed to mean that they had to show him all their _appreciation_ he had missed out on thanks to the tournament within a few days.

"…and the doll's festival this year was wonderful, too bad you missed it, Gotokuji-sensei made a little display of dolls…"

"…but White Day is coming!"

Only for a few seconds was the swarm silent, but it only served to give them time to fix Kurama with hungry and expectant stares that made him wish he had abilities of teleportation.

It was no secret that no one was as showered by gifts and chocolates as he was on Valentine's day. However, the true horror was White Day; the day when _women_ were supposed to receive gifts as a sign of affection. And it was customary for men to repay the girls that had given them something the previous month with a similar, if more expensive gift.

Needless to say, for the past three years, Kurama was always mysteriously absent for the whole week in which White Day took place, just to be certain. And he usually found a more creative reason than an illness, mainly because drowning in "get well soon" cards wasn't on his to-do list now or any day.

He did it for his sake and that of his mother's bank account.

Sitting under a tree not too far away, Yuu Kaito momentarily looked up from the _Death Note _manga he had been reading and briefly glanced at his academic rival. At times like this, he was dangerously close to pitying Minamino. For all his demonic past of standing up to beings that could level a city block just by wiggling their pinkie and coming out on top, the guy was a total wuss when it came to dealing with the insects that circled him daily. After all, Minamino Shuichi was the _perfect _model student, even if it was just a façade to ensure him a peaceful life in a society where he didn't really belong.

Still, while he almost pitied the redhead, Kaito couldn't help but feel a certain amount of grim satisfaction upon seeing this. They were friends now (after an elaborate scheme set up by the resurrected Genkai - Koenma's doing - and managing to save the world together from yet another menace), relatively speaking, after all the bad stuff that had happened with the tunnel and the impending end of the world, but still, Kaito simply couldn't help but enjoy seeing his one and only in-class nemesis helpless against a bunch of groupies, of all things.

There was justice in the world, after all.

X X X X X

"_You are quite certain about this?"_

_"More than I have been of anything in my life."_

"_But you do realize the implications…"_

"_I am more than aware of the conditions I will have to fulfil."_

"_Even the losses?"_

"_Yes. It doesn't change anything."_

"_It changes a lot. You understand that once it happens, you will…"_

"_I have gathered all my power. I am trained in the usage of all of my abilities, as you well know."_

"_You will lose your greatest strength."_

"_No, just the strength that made me what I am."_

"_I see."_

"_Koenma-sama… the Shikon no Tama is gone… its guardian is no longer necessary."_

"_I know. It simply seems… sudden. Though I guess I've always known that it would come to this one day."_

"_Sudden? After centuries?"_

_"Things will never be the same again."_

"_No, never. And I think it is for the best."_

"_Anyway, I have secured your passage and entry. You will have a background, an identity, a home. A family, even."_

"_Thank you. It would have been enough if I only had…"_

"_I know. Consider it my gift to you. I have made a mistake once and I intend to rectify it."_

"_You're more of a king than I thought. Perhaps this position suits you better."_

"_Thank you, I guess. I was actually worried you'd be upset about…"_

"_Not at all. It was a necessary change."_

"_I know."_

_"So… this is goodbye, then."_

_"Yes, all the equipment is set. We will meet again soon, just…"_

"…_not here."_

X X X X X

The biology club of Meiou Academy, on the other hand, was desolate. In every sense of the word.

They had tried, time and time again, to somehow convince Minamino to join them. As the star student and the greatest girl magnet, he would not only be an asset; he could be their saviour. Their reputation would soar and they might get _actual girlfriends! _That was a dream they had long-since given up on, considering the fact that Shuichi always seemed to find some means of escaping or excusing himself. And then, there was that horde of fan girls always behind him – though why he would want to escape them remained a mystery to the boys.

It was just plain _weird_.

"Um, excuse me?"

Momentarily, the biology club stopped their scheming to get the world on their side. Some actually dropped the books behind which they were concealing the diagrams of their schemes. Some just stared in what could normally be considered a very dumb fashion, though in their cases, it was an understandable reaction to the sight of a girl who had willingly come to talk to them.

Of course, it was primarily because of the fact that they were the ones sitting closest to the school gates and the girl clearly wasn't a fellow student of theirs. For one thing, she didn't look like she knew her way around here. That, and she was wearing a completely different high school uniform than they were.

And aside from the fact that she truly was a girl – because a male couldn't possibly pull off such an outfit while having nice legs – she was also quite pretty.

"Is it lunch break at the school yet? I was hoping to find someone." she asked cordially, her large eyes darting towards the building and the courtyard, where most of the students were gathered.

Now would be the positively ideal time to say something suave and helpful at the same time, though that thought crossed only the mind of a few of the boys and of them, only the biology club president, Hisakawa Gakuto, managed to get some words out of his mouth.

"Y-yes. School won't start again for some time." Feeling important and brave, now that he had managed to get one and a half sentence out without embarrassing himself, he decided to inwardly thank whatever kami was watching over him and continue. "If you like, I c-could show you around till you find your friend…"

"Oh, no need for that, I think I see him now!"

Well, that was great… wait just one moment…

"_Him_?"

"Thank you!" the girl called as she walked past a very bewildered biology club, her eyes fixed on the distant figure of… no…

No… no, no, no, no, _no! _

This just couldn't be possible! Not possible at _all_! Was there no justice in life? No kami – at least, no righteous one?!

Well, this time, things were going too far. And some of Hisakawa's fellow biologists seemed to think so too, because they rose from their comfortable spots under their tree and raced past the bewildered new girl, who was left there, blinking, as they managed to get into the centre of the small crowd of buzzing females surrounding Minamino Shuichi, who was having a really hard time getting out of the circle of attention-hungry schoolgirls. The presence of the biology club leaders, however, surprised even him. Was this some new twisted tactic of getting him to join?

Or… no, they weren't that desperate. Yet, Kurama hoped silently, because he was also aware that not even some of the male population was completely indifferent when it came to his appearance. That was almost worse than the mob encircling him.

"This is going too far, Minamino!" How they even managed to out-shout the girls, Kurama had no idea. It had something to do with proximity, he was certain.

Apparently, acoustics were better in a closed space. "Yeah, it's bad enough that you hog all the girls from our school!"

"Have you even considered our feelings?! Do you have the faintest idea what it feels like to be us?!" another, very desperate-looking club member, whose face was difficult to identify through the three girls that were trying to fight their way past him, added in a slightly panicky voice.

He was right – Kurama had no idea what it felt like to be them, but he certainly wished he did. He wasn't quite certain what they were all getting at, however; what was happening wasn't such an uncommon occurrence. This usually happened at any holiday that involved gift-giving, his birthday, his mother's birthday (he decided he didn't want to know how they had found out when that was) and would likely continue on his step-brother's birthday and possibly even his step-father's birthday.

"I mean, if you could just be content with what you have or decide on a steady girlfriend!" The way Asano Takeshi, another biologist, was saying it, suggested badly-suppressed tears, not to mention that he was apparently hanging on Kurama's arm like a dead weigh, refusing to let go until his prey agreed on trying to do that.

Of course, while his point of view had to be respected, there was also the fact that the yells of the girls turned into positive shrieks. Each of them apparently considered themselves ideal for the position and considered the others absolutely unworthy.

There were few things that actually scared Kurama, but this had a potential for becoming one of them. He had a feeling that just smiling uneasily and trying to be polite wouldn't be quite enough this time, being backed into a corner.

Somewhere in the distant background, two voices were steadily shouting for the crowd to kindly "shut their traps", but it took a full-blown trumpet to provoke any kind of reaction. The crowd unanimously turned to the source of the horrid, tuneless trumpet player, who sounded rather like a sickly elephant, awarding them with a death glare and a few surprised blinks.

To general surprise, it turned out to be Botan, fully dressed in her blue sailor fuku, which was perhaps slightly outdated now, as she no longer pretended to be a junior high student, but nevertheless served her well when entering Ningenkai.

Plus, it complimented her hair very well. And she was really looking forward to this. It had been some work, convincing Koenma that she was up to this, but he knew well that if he didn't let her go, she would go anyway, and Botan going somewhere without permission always meant that something wicked this way comes…

"Botan-chan, was that _really_ necessary?" She had used an actual trumpet for this purpose.

Kurama caught himself staring, which wasn't a regular occurrence. Part of the reason was that he was looking at Kagome – in full corporeal form, apparently restored and able to summon up her physical form at will – standing in the human world. The second part was that she was all but unrecognizable in a high school uniform, her long hair trimmed somewhat to resemble a fashionable modern cut, schoolbag in hand and three friends sans Botan herself in tow.

It was too surreal to be true, even though it was obviously her voice. His classmates were silent, then proceeded to mutter amongst themselves. Notably, however, the girls began quietly gossiping while still keeping a wary eye on their pulchritudinous untouchable target and the female intruder, who not only succeeded in obtaining their idol's undivided attention but had the guts to look… well, quite pretty!

Amidst the whole dramatic high school scene, the two girls that flanked Kagome from each side, both with short hair, proceeded to grab her by one arm each and furiously began muttering their not so inaudible advice to her.

"Ne, Kagome-chan, is that your boyfriend?" the one on the left, who was sporting a rather old- fashioned headband, noted. "He has better hair than me!"

"Look at all those girls! Kagome-chan, you have to look all in-charge-like, don't back down! You wouldn't wanna end up two-timed!" the other whispered in a conspirative manner, though judging by her outward appearance, she couldn't have more romantic experience than any of the girls in her vicinity.

Kagome herself looked partly nervous (possibly because of all the staring eyes), partly annoyed (which was a logical reaction to the redundant advice she was receiving) and also somewhat disgruntled that a bunch of human children was attempting to intimidate her when a pack of demons with the same intentions hadn't succeeded.

Were it not for that, it seemed that she would have been perfectly content with the situation. However, nothing was perfect.

Before either of them was able to start the doubtlessly difficult conversation, the third friend, who had almost vanished from view, stepped in-between Kagome's friends and the group surrounding Kurama, blissfully ignoring any sign of tension and approached the redhead with a friendly smile.

"Hi! I'm Okamoto Ayumi, Kagome-chan's friend!" the curly-haired girl said pleasantly. Her voice wasn't nearly as squeaky as that of most school girls and she seemed to be the only one who looked relaxed. "Nice to meet you."

The other two appeared at least alarmed by this approach, but Kurama wasn't entirely averse to it. It meant that she knew how to handle part of the situation; the same couldn't be said for him. But in such cases, politeness was likely the way to go, even though he wasn't completely certain what was going on. The presence of Botan confirmed that this was indeed the real Kagome, but the circumstances weren't clear to him yet.

"Nice to meet you too." he said finally, managing to get past the parted crowd with some slight difficulty. "I'm Minamino Shuichi."

"Yes, Kagome-chan told us about you." Ayumi said, nodding enthusiastically. "This was supposed to be a surprise, you know, since Kagome-chan was gone from Tokyo for such a long time, but I guess there's too many people around for that!" She was being almost unnervingly happy about this, but Kurama was able to deduce parts of the story from what she was saying.

Fortunately, before anything from the cover-up could be ruined, Botan quickly came into the rescue. "It's my fault, really. Kagome-chan returned from Europe just yesterday and she called me, so I insisted on dragging her here, since I knew you were friends and haven't seen each other since grade school. I knew you'd like that Kur- I mean, Shuichi!" the Reikai ferry girl beamed, so brightly that it was clear she had been looking forward to this very much, _too_ much.

Kagome, managing to disentangle herself from her two friends (who had been whispering battle plans to her to the very last second and holding their own in the glaring contest between them and the local girls) stumbled forth, determinedly not looking at the watching crowd. She obviously had no idea what to say; this was clearly one of Botan´s ill-planned schemes. The damage was done, though.

"It's been… a long time." she said, strangely uneasily. And, apparently, this wasn't because of the awkwardness of the situation, but because she wasn't certain how he would react to all this. "I won't be surprised if you don't remember me."

It could also have something to do with the fact that by then, everyone, including whatever teacher was within earshot, was watching them. Heck, even Yuu Kaito decided for a moment that this might be more entertaining than his manga, which he could always reread later.

Kagome proceeded to dig out a book from her overstuffed bag – it almost seemed as if she was taking all the subjects of every year in high school – and handed it to a perplexed Kurama, who examined it curiously. He had been expecting a great many things, but what he saw actually made him forget the tension around them and smile sincerely.

It was a cookbook, of all things.

"For you and Shiori-san. I seem to remember _someone_ criticizing my fish years ago, but I think you need it more than I do." she said, with just the slightest amount of stress vanishing from her face. It was a cookbook of foreign dishes, to match her story, but with a Japanese translation. "Though I think you should leave the experiments to your mother, if you still eat the same things you did… then…"

Her last two words vanished in a unanimous gasp of the people surrounding them. People who didn't get the chance to see it with their own eyes refused to believe it when told of the incident afterwards. If they eventually did, their reaction was a very long silence before anything else.

It was the first time anyone had ever seen Shuichi hug anyone, male or female, which was certainly a step past the traditional greeting of someone who claimed to be a long-lost friend.

Of course, the description would be exaggerated as rumours spread; most of the girls who saw it (and managed to recover from the shock and live to tell the tale) claimed that it was most certainly the closest to a glomp such a civilized and polite person as Shuichi could get. Which wasn't saying much, but the _point_ was that Minamino Shuichi embracing a female that wasn't a member of his family was… was…

Well, no one had really thought that far, because no one had ever expected that to happen. Kaito had calculated the probability of such an occurrence and it had been so close to zero that he was forced to rethink his math on this upon seeing this – it actually got him to raise his eyebrows.

The only thing that could be heard about the mutters was Botan's triumphant "Bingo!" war-cry.

It was, actually, from a neutral point of view, a friendly gesture only, an expected thing after years of separation. Taking into account the fact that all of their observers had somewhat biased views on the matter, it was hard for the theory to match the reality of it.

"Kagome?" A voice asked softly near her ear. It was filled with such hope, such longing, that the girl's heart almost burst from only hearing it. But he couldn't help it; he refused to believe she was real until all of his senses had taken her in, though Kurama was aware of the problems kissing her in public right now would cause. He could see to that later.

"Y-yes?" she shakily asked, feeling the pressure on her back tighten. It truly was her, alive, here, _alive_ and with him… Kurama sent a silent prayer of thanks to Reikai, even though Koenma likely didn't hear that. He would have been perfectly content to just remain like this for the rest of eternity.

Next time, she didn't have to pay him back for his long absence in such a drastic fashion, though.

She could feel the smile in his voice. "You're late."

_I'm so happy you're all right. I will never let you go again. I love you too much to see you hurt again. _

And she felt the grip around her tighten even more as she pushed back any outward joy – oddly, she felt no irritation at the remark – knowing that anything further would have raised unwelcome questions and brought attention to them. So, she simply smiled contently, holding close.

"I'm sorry, Kurama; did I keep you waiting?"

_I lost you countless times to get to where we stand. I don't know when I came to love you this much. I have lost the purpose of my prolonged existence only to gain a new one._

And the promise was sealed forever, beyond the end of time, returning the warmth into his eyes at long last.

"Welcome home, Kagome-san." Kurama said after releasing his visitor with some reluctance. The act had to be kept up, which meant a certain pattern had to be followed. "Will you be staying longer this time?"

Luckily, she seemed to be ready for such an approach and nodded with a smile. "I moved here so I could stay. But, uh, we can talk about that later… I wouldn't want to keep you for too long." Kagome said, glancing around them a bit. They had indeed succeeded in drawing a crowd and Kagome calculated that if looks could kill and these kiddies weren't a few centuries too late, she would have been dead thirty times over by now.

"Of course. Your friends are waiting for you." It was almost unnatural to see the usually very refined Shuichi keep on smiling like this for a longer period of time. Somewhere not too far away, the green-eyed monster had struck more than a few female minds and caused them to plot dastardly revenge. Actually, even Kagome's "war council" gave out a few giggles and blushes when Kurama glanced over at them, and began whispering to one another. "Could we meet in two hours? My lessons should be over by then."

"Okay, no problem. I'll give you my address – it's not too far and kaa-san has asked me to come home for lunch today." Kurama was somewhat surprised as the former priestess wrote down the location and a phone number on a scrap of paper Ayumi fished out of her bag. He hadn't expected her to go so far as to have an actual family. It was oddly comforting.

"I'll go round up the others if you guys don't mind!" Botan chirped in. "I'm sure they'll want to hear about this." And she took off without any kind of warning, dragging Yuka and Eri (Kagome's friends) behind her.

"Ne, Kagome-chan, you wanted to copy that book before going home." Ayumi reminded her solemnly, the only one who was interested in studying at all times.

"Oh, right. We should go then." Kagome said, remembering. "Sorry for disturbing you like this."

"You should interrupt more often, Kagome-san."

Ayumi laughed lightly when her friend didn't seem to be able to come up with a good reply to that. "It was very nice to meet you, Minamino-kun." she said before pulling Kagome away by the arm.

"Likewise, Okamoto-san."

The moment the "intruder girl", as Kagome was labelled in the minds of the female population of Meiou, was out of earshot, along with her meddling friends, a bombardment of questions began from all sides. Kurama, knowing full well that none of the answers he could give would sound plausible or acceptable to the juvenile ears of these teenagers, decided that he might as well end all the bickering between them as to which answer was the actual correct one by making a proper statement. Besides, it was very considerate of Kagome that she had also inscribed her family name on the edge of the paper.

Inspired by seeing Kaito reading a manga, he decided to opt for a solution from a wholly different story. Somewhere not too far away, Youko was observing all with very gleeful eyes.

"Kagome-san and I have been engaged since years ago. She is my fiancée."

It was safe to assume that the number of deaf people at Meiou Academy increased dramatically over the next few seconds. Another safe assumption was that several girls suffered near-heart attacks and some actually almost collapsed. Actually, it seemed that only the biology club was crying tears of joy, though no one besides them understood why. Most people just wanted to get the scrap of paper with Kagome's address on it and get her to confess how she had managed to do this before doing something horrible.

Like, say, wrapping her whole house in toilet paper.

"So, does this fiancée of yours actually know about your engagement?" Kaito asked after school, still mildly interested in what was going to happen. He had certain theories about the mysterious fiancée's identity – either she was a demon, from spirit world or some other associate from work. No way such a lame cover-up story could actually be true.

Kurama gave a small guilty smile. "Not formally, no. She's a subordinate of Koenma's whose main duty ended about a year ago, but she was incapacitated during the battle. Her appearance here suggests that she has both recovered and that Koenma has given the consent he had refused us about seventeen years ago."

"Assuming she survives this week until the student body quiets down and adjusts to your so-called engagement, I suggest you tell her of this decision before she kills you. As entertaining as that would be, I would get terribly bored if the only half-decent academic challenge around her disappears."

Coming from Kaito, that was something akin to a full-blown declaration of the ideals of the French revolution. Of course, it was better not to say that to someone with such a dry wit.

Kagome's house turned out to be an actual Shinto shrine.

Fortunately, she had been waiting for him outside and dragged him inside before her grandfather could start throwing ofudas – which would be a fully justified action this time. The few girls who had tried to follow Kurama (a fact he was completely aware of) weren't so lucky.

Kagome was dressed in an up to date fashion, as before, this time in a light blue dress a shade darker than Botan's hair. On the way to her room, she greeted her mother, who was cooking something and her younger brother, who was playing some action video game. All in all, they were the picture of an average Japanese family, save for their grandpa.

It was actually a highly entertaining sight to see the old man in a cleric's robes throw ofudas at screaming schoolgirls, who ran away at being called demons.

Only a few people were gathered in Kagome's room by then; Botan, naturally, with a uniform-dressed Keiko in tow, Shizuru, who had been in the vicinity and decided to stand in for Kuwabara in this case and Kuwabara himself, who seemed a bit irritated that his sister thought she could nominate herself as his representative just because he thought he wouldn't be able to make it.

Once everyone had greeted each other accordingly, Kagome began to speak, only to be interrupted at first of shouts of "Take that, demon!" and something that sounded like a rather squeaky "KYA!!" from outside.


	43. From wishes to eternity

This is the end, people… the official, true finale of the fic that has been with me for almost a year. I honestly didn't think I would be able to write it this fast; it's been less than a year since this began and here I am, writing the final introduction to this last chapter. All things must come to an end, good things especially, it seems. I've learned a lot about crafting an original storyline and fleshing out characters. I've paid homage to my absolutely favourite crossover pairing in the best way I know. I hope I did it justice.

In any case, I think I've exhausted my imagination for this pairing and fandom for the moment. I might return to it in the future, if a muse strikes me with lightning. Heh. I think that anything else I might come up with in the KagKur fandom would be a let-down compared to this little epic. We shall see. In any case, I hope to be bombarded with reviews. I've really enjoyed writing this and I hope you readers share the same sentiment on reading it.

Please don't ask for a sequel; not only do I have no ideas for it, but I find this ending conclusive, wrapping every single loose end and, most importantly, I like it this way. I might consider a one-shot in this universe, but nothing beyond that – sorry about that. Another reason is that I've decided to gather my courage and apply for a few colleges in London this year while I've got the time, so there is a (tiny) chance I might be moving out some time later this year. We shall see. I'm dead scared about that, but I'm crazy enough to try and study in a different country. Plus, think of the musicals!

On a more relevant note, thank you all, readers and reviewers, for taking the time to read my humble masterpiece. Cookies for all of the former, chocolate for of all the latter.

All my love, peace out.

Zerb

X X X

**From wishes to eternity**

X X X X X

"Try as you might, you cannot annihilate that eternal relic of the human heart, love."

- Victor Hugo

X X X X X

For the better part of two hours, Kagome talked. She spoke primarily of what had happened while she had been unconscious; it had been somewhat of a struggle, the rejoining of two parts of a soul that had been fragmented for so long. She spoke of the things she had learned through the new memories from Kikyo and retold the completed story of InuYasha and the dead priestess, without the deception Naraku had used in his version. It had also taken her considerable time to fight off the remains of the influence of the jewel that clung to her and reassemble her spirit; but she hadn't changed, if only in that her speech was a little calmer than her usual fireworks and that she seemed happier for it.

"So you're staying here in human world now?" Kuwabara asked after she finished her narrative. After all, they had all seen the elaborate setup Reikai had provided her. It seemed too complex and well-planned to be just a short visit. Unfortunately, Koenma got called back to his office sooner than expected and didn't offer any kind of explanation, simply saying a quick goodbye and telling Kagome he would contact her soon.

Even though he had been somewhat glad to finally take over from his father, it was still far more draining than he had imagined.

"I've been given the chance to live out my remaining life in the human world." Kagome explained, "But not because of charity. With the recent dramatic changes in demon hierarchy and the withdrawal of the Kekkai, the pressure to keep this an absolute secret from this world has risen to great heights."

"The Kekkai provided a measure of guarantee." Botan noted, "Now, there is a law to ensure that, but some demons might not respect it too thoroughly."

"Exactly." Kagome affirmed, nodding with a very content smile. "Which is one of the reasons I am here."

"I see. In practice, you are here to take over from Yusuke." Kurama earned himself another nod. It was the most logical explanation for her presence; after all, Kagome was not mortal any longer, but she had been human once, thus she was eligible for the post of Spirit Detective. And with her reputation, there wasn't any way that even the stupidest demon would try to force its way into the human world without at least the hint of a reason.

"Huh? So Urameshi's really been fired permanently?" Kuwabara asked. He had heard of the tales from the Tournament, including the fact that Yusuke had been fired from his position due to his demonic heritage.

Kagome had realized what the others likely didn't now yet – that she couldn't continue being a miko if she was to truly devote herself to human life and to Kurama. She had to give up the majority of her power to be allowed to be human and – she almost blushed at the very thought – marry. It required that she learn to channel power of a different kind, more natural to humans. It would be a difficult process to cultivate her usage of sacred energy on this level, but it was possible.

"I'm a form of insurance – demons considering crossing worlds have to count with my presence. And, not to diminish the doings of your friend, they know there is cause to fear me even without the Shikon no Tama."

"What about the other reason?" Keiko, who hadn't spoken much up till then, asked curiously.

"That is simpler. Despite all of your achievements, your group is still exceptional and dangerous. We are aware of your trustworthiness, but I have to keep an eye on you nonetheless, for protocol's sake. Which is why I resumed my human life here." Kagome concluded, giving a small smile.

She was obviously pleased with the environment she was to live in. She liked all the things a normal girl her age would despise; parents, schools, a little brother… the only thing she regretted was that Miroku and Sango now didn't have time to enjoy their honeymoon since she was gone.

And Shippo, left in their charge, had to be promised to be able to visit whenever possible to get him off the priestess before she had departed. He couldn't bear to lose her so quickly again.

"What about this family of yours?" Shizuru asked, mercifully not producing a cigarette from her pocket this time. Apparently, Kagome's mother didn't strike her as the sort of woman who would take kindly to that. "What are they?"

"They are human, all of them. Some time ago, their daughter died when she fell into a well in this very shrine. A few records and memories had to be modified, but it was decided that they were the perfect choice, so I could take her place without doing damage to the natural flow of events. Once your lifetimes run out, it's back to Reikai for me. And then…"

"Then?"

Kagome smiled, more brilliantly when Kurama caught her eye, returning the expression. "Who knows?"

X X X X X

If there was something that was to be denied to Kurama, it was a quiet wedding.

Kagome hadn't killed him when being told about the engagement; quite the contrary, she reacted with her usual maturity, though she admitted that as far as actual proposals went, this was a lousy example – her friends would kill her for it. It was more of a pledge than an actual proposal, in any case; a pledge that was the subject of gossips of at least half the households with teenage daughters in Tokyo.

The family Kagome was now part of was called Higurashi; the priestess explained that she had liked the surname, particularly because it sounded like a codename of sorts. Once one got used to the quirks of her grandfather – who, incidentally, never quit his ritual of bombarding Kurama with sutras when he came to visit – they were a particularly nice bunch. Souta became fast friends with Kurama, especially because the youth often took the time to help him with math; the same thing he tutored Kagome in at times, which was the way he had met her family.

For something as casual as a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, it certainly was a carefully planned operation, the bringing together of the two families.

Fortunately, Minamino Shiori was very much at ease around Kagome and her family, especially because she finally had her own family restored. Their respective little brothers apparently shared an interest in wuxia video games and it was clear that their respective parents were glowing with happiness at their childrens' good mood. They approved of the choice, thinking that the two of them were well-balanced.

Fortunately it was worth having to endure all the crying and girls practically begging Kurama to change his mind. Most of them looked as if it was a funeral whenever Kagome was mentioned and glared daggers and all sorts of bladed weapons at the priestess whenever she showed up. At times, Kagome thought she could still hear the great wail of distress when Kurama had first kissed her goodbye when she brought back a book she had borrowed during lunch break.

It was a great blessing to them all that the actual proposal took place at Kagome's high school graduation ceremony. However, her friends fully made up for the squealing girls. Kagome agreed, naturally, adding privately that it was about time. Their families were somewhat surprised by the quickness of this decision and warned them against rashness, upon which the couple promised to wait until their coming of age to seal their relationship officially. It was to keep appearances, mostly; neither of them needed time to decide.

It had been decided years ago on a tree in Reikai.

Of course, mothers wouldn't be mothers if they didn't fancy a wedding as quickly as possible, so they spent the two years preparing for Kagome's twentieth birthday, which was decided to be the day the countdown would begin. By then, both "teenagers" were attending Tokyo University, though different departments; Kagome, with her skill in healing, chose medicine and managed to gain a scholarship, while Kurama decided to please his mother by choosing courses in business and languages, so that he would one day be able to take over his stepfather's now prospering company, in which they both had part-time jobs.

The wedding was Western-style simply because all the women involved wanted to choose Kagome's dress. Guests of all kinds and relations appeared; first and foremost Yusuke and Keiko, the former having returned from Makai at long last to resume his human life. Kuwabara spent the better part of the party trying to convince Kagome to throw her bouquet towards Yukina afterwards; Hiei wasn't present but Kurama was certain the telepath knew of the occasion. Shizuru was there too, refusing to dance with anyone in her usual gruff manner. Then Koenma made his appearance with Botan, whose blue hair stood out to amuse and perhaps horrify a few old ladies, and Ayame, looking regal and melancholic as always.

The Reikai prince discreetly remarked that he had been forced to punish George the ogre for wanting to come, as this wasn't a costume party, but that all of Reikai was congratulating them and watching all this. Even Sango and Miroku made it in time, the taijiya becoming maid of honour and subtly cursing the pink and tight dress she had been forced to wear, as her husband appreciated it _a little too much._ Shippo was there too, in the form of a child, posing as Sango's younger brother, hugging the bride like there was no tomorrow.

Combining all these elements resolved in controlled chaos.

Kurama understood well the sacrifice Kagome was making; she would lose her greatest power the moment their marriage was consummated, but she was being very brave about the whole ordeal. After all, she said, there was no longer the need to protect any ancient artefact. And to her, what they shared was purer than anything she could cleanse.

That night, belated by years, was nothing out of a fantasy, because no imagination was vivid enough to create the illusion of bliss so completely. It was the first time either of them hid nothing from another person… and it wasn't a problem any longer. With no more lies or secrets, their union was finally sealed.

In the years to come, both of them adapted to the human world so completely that no one was able to tell that they didn't truly belong there. Both became successful in their chosen fields, forming the Shikon Research Institute, devoted to biological and medical research, producing high-quality medicine and concocting cures for various dangerous diseases. They remained in Tokyo, close to their families, and cared for them more than they knew, securing every moment of their lives, so that they might never know how hard and long their journey had been.

In a few years, they already had children of their own; as they had been conceived and birthed in their human forms, these children aged as humans did, their powers carefully sealed. They weren't told of what their parents were or what they did to keep the truth from the world. Their senses were keen, however, and they soon picked up something strange about their parents, though they could never quite define it. They lived normal, if blissful lives, unconcerned by the burdens of the last Spirit Detective.

Until, one day, half a century after the fateful day their life together had begun, Kagome saw death in her husband's mortal eyes; his soul was resilient, but his body was still human, a slave to time's decay. Neither of them had the blossom of youth any longer; both of them were old by human standards. It was a peaceful passing, accompanied by gentle words and quiet whispers. When Kurama died, it was painless, natural. Kagome remained.

It was Botan who came for him, looking very much the same as she always did, though there was respect and sadness in her eyes when she greeted Kagome. The former priestess didn't hesitate. It would hurt her children, her grown-up darlings, but… it was time. She had entered this world for him; she had no further reason to remain. It would be easier for them to cope with a double-blow than with two deaths in close succession, or, at least, she hoped so. So when Botan asked if she was all right, there was only one thing she asked for: release. She couldn't be released from her mortal body on her own will. It was a safety measure.

The ferry girl, eyes wide, touched by her bravery, didn't ask the questions on the tip of her tongue. Instead, she nodded and obliged her oldest friend, allowing Minamino Shuichi and Minamino Kagome to die together, the elderly lady holding her husband's hand. All their friends that knew who they were had passed already… it was simply the end of an era.

X X X X X

The offices in Reikai were precisely as they had been fifty years ago, when they had last seen the inside of the palace.

Koenma, not looking a day older, was still frantically chewing on his pacifier, probably having replenished some of its power now. It changed nothing about the fact that he was practically swimming in paperwork, though credit had to be given to the fact that he wasn't drowning just yet. He could certainly use a ferry girl's oar, though. Possibly one of the reasons why the ever level-headed Ayame was helping him with this.

Kurama was already there and as his mortal form had been shed; his spirit was slowly beginning to revert back to its original form. It was beginning to show – his eyes were more slanted, his features more angular and his hair was apparently on the verge of changing colour once more.

He gave a warm smile when Kagome entered, but even now, after over half a century, she still fought and lost against the reflex to avert her eyes and blush somewhat at the look he was giving her.

Koenma surfaced from his paperwork in a moment, just enough to show his utter frustration. It was clear to both his recent arrivals that that he was finishing filing the report on their deaths.

"I was beginning to wonder when you'd come." the Reikai prince said instead of a greeting to Kagome, acknowledging her with a nod. Of course, he had understood that she would chose to give up her imitation of life upon Kurama's death, though he wasn't certain just how maternal the priestess might get.

It was never easy to say goodbye to family, as he was fully aware.

But then again, Kagome gave a slightly roguish grin, completely at odds with the difficulty of her situation. Perhaps she was more prepared for this than he had expected. "You missed us, admit it." she said, though not unkindly. It was very pleasant, to a degree.

"I miss my old job at times as well." Koenma noted, not wishing to admit the truth of the matter. Indulgent, but not unkind; there was maturity in both of their expressions. Both of them were as old as he himself, Koemna realized.

"There are some things no one can change." Kagome noted quietly.

"Point." Koenma said with a curt nod. "Well, I suppose you should sit down. It won't take long." The chairs had been prepared for them and they took their places without hesitation. He, too, ad been preparing for this moment. All the paperwork had caused him no end of trouble, too. "Basically, you have two alternatives. Death or continued existence. You have both earned your places in Elysium, some later than others, but you would definitely be sent there if you choose the former. With your combined powers, you might be accepted as spiritual leaders there, even, though it is a place of equality. The latter is continued service to Reikai, for an indefinite period of time, until you choose to end it – should you choose to end it. I would be glad to have you both here."

"The others are all gone already." Kurama commented; there was only a passing amount of emotion in his voice. He was stating a fact. They had known from the beginning that their friends were only mortal; of the humans, only Yusuke remained now, and he had retreated into Makai upon the death of Keiko. He said he still had a few loose ends to wrap up there and then… he would decide what to do.

"Yes. Except for Botan, but she's an airhead when it comes to most things. Including serious business." Koenma added thoughtfully, truthfully. Actually, the ferry girl was still a bit shaken by the deaths of her human friends and needed some time to recover completely. Being a being of limitless lifespan could be useful, but this was one of the greatest faults of such an existence.

"We can alter the choice at any time, right?" Kagome asked, hope shining in her eyes. She didn't want to make any finite decision just yet. "There isn't any kind of time limit."

Koenma fidgeted a bit on his chair, as if he had known that this question would be posed and knew they wouldn't like the answer that much. "There are some restrictions. Should you choose Elysium, well… no one can return from the lands of the dead." It was common knowledge, or so he believed. "That would count as a permanent decision, no?"

It certainly did. It would mean losing the chance to see any of the living and Reikai gave the perk of cameras, at least, to watch their children.

Their children… putting them through this was cruel, but inevitable. And as long as they knew nothing of their parents' true nature, it was no more of a loss than it was for any other child, though that was saying leagues in its own way.

"And if we enter Reikai's service, we will be banned from Ningenkai unless in the situation of highest danger and greatest need, correct?" Kurama asked with slight sharpness. The human aspect of him was retreating; he was now more Youko than Shuichi, though the human boy was now inevitably a part of him, forever.

"Yes." Koenma confirmed laconically. "Without your human bodies, you are too powerful not to make a spiritual impact. And you both have lived a full human lifetime by now. It isn't a true ban… I didn't think you would want to return there, actually." He admitted.

The human world was a puzzling realm, to say the least, ever-changing and moving forward. Still, he liked it that way, no matter how great the grief it brought him might be. It was a love-hate relationship, but he supposed he wouldn't have changed it, given the possibility. Life would be much more boring that way.

"I guess not. We don't really belong there, do we?" Kagome asked, her voice shaking just a little. She was remembering their lives there and how content they had been in their complacency. With their presence, demons wouldn't dare cross the line between worlds without a good reason. In a way, she feared the human world without them. But it would survive; it always did. "I'm sorry, I knew this would happen and I'm still a bit sentimental."

It wasn't here or there or any kind of inconvenience; it showed that she, out of the three of them, had been human at the beginning, and thus was relinquishing something that had been part of her forever. It was hardest for her, probably, and Kurama decided that it was best to act in a supporting manner instead of trying to point out the inevitability of this.

He wasn't much for displaying emotions in public, thus he did the only thing he could; taking Kagome' hand, he gave it a firm squeeze, hoping to be comforting by that simple gesture. It worked; Kagome gave a brave, grateful smile and whatever tears she had been suppressing vanished before appearing.

They would survive this… it was only a matter of time.

"Be assured that your direct descendants will be told the truth about their parents." Koenma seemed to feel some amount of responsibility regarding this, as if it had been his decision to have them die. It was the least he could do, in any case, and it wasn't as if the children of the odd pair could do anything to upset the balance of the Realms post-mortem. "We will have to monitor them in any case, but I think they will be fine. However, I think we shouldn't take this further than the second generation. The more time passes, the less believable will the story become."

After all, it was doubtful that even the humans that had known them and witnessed the strange events that at times occurred around them would be willing to understand what giants had been in their midst. The true scope of their combined power was hard to imagine even to him; there had (fortunately) never been cause to reveal it.

Kurama gave that calm, patient face of his and nodded with dignity that made even Koenma wonder who exactly was royalty here. "We understand, Koenma. Thank you. I think we've made a choice."

The Reikai prince blinked, quite plainly shocked. He knew Kurama was very decisive and possibly now doubly so when his demonic aspect was resurfacing, but not even consulting Kagome?

"Eh? So soon? I thought you'd need to talk about it and debate it…"

But the priestess smiled gently, not at all objecting to this decision. "We have done so already, years ago. Before we even got married, actually."

"Always the strategist, I see." The comment was directed more at Kurama, but its general meaning was understood. "Well, tell me then, you know I hate tension!"

Yet it was Kagome who took a deep breath, adopted a business-like expression and began her explanation. "The relationship between Reikai and Makai is still difficult. The tournaments every three years change the entire hierarchy of the demon world. We wish to ensure stability."

"Give us permission to build a home between worlds – one half in Makai and one in Reikai, bound by a portal between realities – so that we may act as the diplomatic link." Kurama continued, completely serious but still within the polite range of an official appeal, not a demand. "We will hold audiences with demons as well as reigen and act as neutral territory for conflicts."

"We are well-known enough to be respected." That, Koenma thought, was a gross understatement. Demons who had never heard his name told tales about the nature-controlling fox thief and the guardian priestess who had become his lover and mate. News of their passing would spread quickly. "This way, we can ensure that the new Makai king doesn't step beyond his station while allowing intelligent demons a chance to plead their case if wronged by Reikai patrols or their own kind."

The first thought that struck Koenma was that this was audacious, daring and risky. The second was that it was very likely brilliance, but he needed to be certain.

"Do you have the slightest idea what that would mean?" he asked, still very wide-eyed. "You would be undertaking a difficult occupation and if it worked, it's unlikely that you'd be able to just up and quit."

They looked at each other, but only for a moment. It seemed that they had a complete understanding of this and all that it implied, having discussed it over and over a thousand times when no one was listening. It changed nothing.

And the answer was far simpler than he had expected.

"There is no guarantee for the afterlife. But we already have paradise."

X X X X X

She was a priestess; he was a demon. They were natural enemies. Never meant to know each other. Never meant to speak other than with their weapons.

Thanks to the paradox that defied all of those rules, both survived beyond their appointed time, together. By the time they had reached the hundredth year of knowing each other, they had both found a new purpose, new life and new home. Their souls completely restored in the case of the former and unified in case of the latter, they were able to move on, to continue.

The spirit of Minamino Shiori had waited for her son until he, finally free, could ask for forgiveness for all of his deception. It was given, gratefully, and Shiori embraced him without regret or anger, whispering nothing more than that she loved him with all her being, no matter what fate had brought him to her. And she promised to wait for him, should he ever decide that he and his love were tired of being bound to the Realms. She would wait and tell all the others waiting for them… and they would be proud together of the wonderful people they had helped form.

Sango the taijiya and Miroku of the cursed hand (the title stuck, very much to his disdain) remained in the world for as long as their longest friends. After all, it would take more than a single lifetime for them to receive all that had been taken from them and, as Sango claimed, there was no telling whether Elysium was ready for the likes of her husband. Shippo, of course, remained by the side of the closest person he had come to view as a friend and mother, becoming powerful in his own right, a worthy heir to the legacy of his parents and the first to take their side, always.

Reikai remained as it was; stable, filled with hasty steps and nervous calls, but prospering. Botan, eventually promoted to head ferry girl, would often visit her friends between worlds, at times with Koenma and George. Assuming no one has drowned in paperwork yet, the spirit realm had entered a peaceful era.

Their mansion was as they had requested, a portal between worlds. No one could access it without their consent, which was often useful and no one but them had free passage through it. When the time came that this arrangement was announced to the current ruler of Makai, the demon in question happily agreed. Thus disputes between worlds had now a court with representatives of both realms and the guarantee of someone that would not only hear, but listen.

As the years passed, the Palace at the Threshold of Eternity, as it was sometimes called, became a pilgrimage site for any of those considering themselves old and wise. The Lord and Lady, as they were known, though they had no actual title, became legends in their own right, their story retold thousands of times, growing larger than the people themselves at times, as was custom with such tales. Yet all who ever saw them in their home claimed that the tales didn't do them a portion of justice.

They rarely entered Ningenkai – if ever – after their departure from it and only under severe circumstances, preferring to remain on the crossroads between the other two realms. And there were always things that needed their attention, large and small, and within a few years, it was almost impossible to discern just how things had escaped utter chaos without their guidance and occasional intervention.

Men and women fell in love with one or both, but their bond was never broken. They were seldom apart and never truly separated. Together, they acted as advisors and diplomatic representatives of both worlds during disputes and, if necessary, as military leaders and warriors.

In time, they were reunited with their children, who were too stubborn and persistent – inherited traits, no doubt – to simply pass into eternity without knowing the true nature of their parents or in-laws. Their own powers, untapped or unrealized still, emerged quickly when confronted with the true forms of their closest ancestors, though at first they had been almost incapable of believing that their smiling mother and soft-spoken father were the two streams of power standing before them.

Moreover, it was difficult to be confronted with the youthfulness of their true forms, which, to them, was unprecedented.

Inevitably, reasoning that they were only part-human to begin with, most of them decided to stay at the palace, acting as advisors and, in a way, couriers, as long as they were able to stay together, as family. They, too, became well-respected and important figures in the Realms, ever-striving to live up to the legacy of their parents.

What became of them, the pair that were formerly the guardian of the Shikon no Tama and the most famed of demonic thieves? Neither of them were what they used to be at the beginning of their journey.

It was said that through the purity of her love for her demonic consort, Kagome of the Four Souls surpassed what she had been destined to be. Though she could no longer purify through physical contact alone, her holy power shone brightly, a beacon that blinded enemies and left no enemy unscathed.

Youko Kurama saw many things that had been sealed to him before seeing the world through the eyes of a human. However, those who were not in his favour still claimed that the scorching twin suns of his eyes could freeze the courage of the strongest creature in fear. Few knew that he had achieved the very goal he had set out to accomplish when he had first claimed something as his own without permission.

Fewer still could claim to understand either of them, or why they chose the other as their own. Those that still try have the rest of eternity for it.

The tale is not yet told; perhaps it will never be. Those who would wish to write endings are fools. However, the beginning has been devised and from that, the ending can be guessed. The tale changes with the narrator, yet the first words always remain the same.

_There was once a young miko who split her very soul to protect an ancient treasure. As the guardian spirit of what she had perished for, she met a demon who was the greatest of thieves, his eyes set on her charge._

_Neither ever suspected when they first met on a sunlit meadow that one day, they would be each other's solace on the journey through eternity…_

X X X X X

"Love is something eternal; the aspect might change, but not the essence."

- Vincent van Gogh

X X X X X


End file.
